Former Warriors teammates Draymond Green and Kevin Durant have different recollections of the NBA Finals runs they had together.
The All-Stars went back and forth in a Twitter spat Tuesday after Green argued on “The Colin Cowherd Podcast” that Stephen Curry was double-teamed more than Durant in the Finals while they were teammates.
Green was discussing Curry’s Hall of Fame résumé and used the take as a possible reason why the point guard has yet to win an NBA Finals MVP trophy, despite winning three championships.
“Kevin Durant was absolutely incredible in those Finals runs,” Green said. “… Steph Curry got double-teamed probably seven times the amount that KD did in a given series. So when you watch those games and you say, ‘Ah, [Curry’s] numbers could be a little down,’ he’s facing a double team… These are real double teams… These are elite teams throwing elite defenders at guys.”
When a fan on Twitter asked Durant if Green’s take was true, the Nets star replied that “From my view of it, this is 100 percent false.”
Green chimed in and tweeted, “You have to learn to listen to full takes and not snippets before you get baited into tweeting Champ.”
Durant hit back, writing, “Oh I seen it my brethren, I appreciate the compliments but I disagree with what u said about double teams that’s all. I love the show.”
Durant played with Curry and Green on the Warriors from 2016-19. They made the NBA Finals in all three years, winning two championships. Durant and Green’s relationship grew more contentious in their final season together, though the two seem on better terms now.
Durant, who signed with Brooklyn in the summer of 2019, was named Finals MVP after Golden State’s two consecutive NBA championships in 2017 and ’18. Andre Iguodala was named Finals MVP in 2015 before Durant arrived in Golden State.
Curry averaged 26.8 points per game compared to Durant’s 35.2 in 2017 on 3.4 fewer shots per game and 9.4 assists. In 2018, Curry averaged 27.5 points, while Durant averaged 28.8.
Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue — who was head coach of the Cavaliers for three of their four consecutive Finals matchups with Golden State — discussed Cleveland’s defensive plan for Curry in February.
“I remember in 2017 and 2018, we blitzed [Curry] still with Klay [Thompson] and Kevin Durant was on the floor,” Lue said after a Warriors-Clippers game earlier this year. “That’s how dangerous I think he is.”
The Warriors are back in the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight years. They open against the Celtics on Thursday night after beating the Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.