As a three-time champion, four-time NBA All-Star and soon-to-be award-winning podcast host, Draymond Green has plenty of wisdom to dish out.
On Tuesday’s episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” the Warriors forward made sure to teach the Memphis Grizzlies a lesson.
“This isn’t the Minnesota Timberwolves,” Green said to Memphis. "You’re no longer playing that team. This is the Golden State Warriors.”
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Green was referencing Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals between the Warriors and Grizzlies. At halftime, Golden State led by seven points. Following the lead of Steph Curry's 10 third-quarter points, the Warriors extended their advantage to 21 points entering the fourth, eventually winning in a 142-112 blowout.
“One thing I thought was beautiful in Game 3 was we were up 20 points," Green said. "Ja Morant, I know what the conversation was when [the Grizzlies] huddled up -- 'We’ve been here before, we know what it takes. Let’s go out here and let’s get back in this game and win the game.'
Morant, who finished with a game-high 34 points, began to heat up.
"Ja started going on his rampage of scoring every play," Green said. "I think he looked up like, ‘Wow. I’m starting to go crazy.’ He had a couple of those Ja layups that only Ja makes. And he looked up and they were down 25."
Golden State Warriors
That was a much different experience for Morant and the Grizzlies, who erased double-digit fourth-quarter deficits in three of their four first-round wins over the Timberwolves. In Game 3 of that series, Memphis came back from down 25 points to pull off a stunning victory.
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"This is championship-level basketball,” Green said of the Warriors’ reputation. “This is how we do it.”
Golden State isn't flawless -- shown by its not-so-pretty Game 4 performance that began with an 0-for-15 start from 3-point range -- but as a veteran team with championship credibility, the Warriors aren't known to cough up big leads.
And they certainly aren't the Timberwolves.