Draymond Green escalates war of words with Jusuf Nurkic

Golden State Warriors center Draymond Green (23) John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Draymond Green escalates war of words with 'embarrassment' Jusuf Nurkic

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 2/13/24

Draymond Green and Jusuf Nurkic have showed no signs of squashing their current rivalry. Green received an indefinite suspension for an altercation with the Phoenix Suns' big man on Dec. 12. On Saturday, they went toe-to-toe for the first time since that incident took place.

After the game, Nurkic told the media he didn't believe Green had learned anything from his suspension. As you would expect, Green has now responded to Nurkic's comments via his "The Draymond Green Show" podcast.

"Not very surprised that he went to the media and said what he said," Green said. "Because that's the same guy that lay down on the floor when I made contact with him. Bro, you're three hundred pounds. Get up off the floor, bro. If he actually didn't lay on the floor like that, I actually don't get the suspension I got, probably. But the dude lay down like he was dead. That same guy then goes, 'he doesn't deserve another chance.' How, bro? What an embarrassment. And they expect to win with that guy."

Green has a reputation for being an instigator, making a career out of being contentious with opposing players. He knows how to walk the line while getting under people's skin. As he sees them grow in frustration, he elevates his own play to capitalize on any potential slide.

Phoenix is a direct rival to Golden State at present, as both teams are built around veteran stars and are fighting to contend for a championship this season. It would appear neither Green nor Nurkic are willing to back down from their current disagreement.

As long as both players keep things within the realm of professionalism on the court, their current feud will add excitement to future matchups between the Suns and Warriors. Casual NBA fans will be eager to see a potential playoff matchup between the two rosters. However, Green will need to keep his cool. The NBA is more entertaining when he's on the court and partaking in his antics.

Furthermore, the Warriors' playoff chances rest heavily on Green because he's a core member of their rotation. He can't risk being suspended for a third time this season, and Nurkic knows this. That's why he's escalating things. It's smart, but it's also risky.

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