Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green thinks the NBA has gotten a little too soft in response to the Kevin Durant – PJ Tucker scuffle in Game 3.
Green isn’t of an older generation, but sure plays like it. While we can rightfully question whether certain stars — not naming any names — could survive in a tougher brand of basketball, Draymond would fit right in, and perhaps a little too excessively at times.
Dray’s commentary on the NBA Playoffs since the Warriors exit (play-in game) has been tremendous, and while he doesn’t make regular appearances on TNT anymore, so he won’t be tampering, Green isn’t afraid to ruffle some feathers on Twitter.
Former teammate KD might not love this one.
NBA Playoffs: Draymond Green thinks professional basketball has gone soft
The context here is important, of course:
Durant took exception to a foul by Tucker, his fourth of the game, and aimed to confront the pesky wing defender in person. After some shoving, security ran onto the court as if a full-on brawl was about to ensue. Obviously, that feels like overkill given the severity of the game and the talent differential at hand.
KD knows he can’t afford to miss any games this series. Swinging at Tucker, or starting a full-on confrontation, puts him at risk of league discipline.
Tucker did most of the talking in this case. Durant, understanding this situation and allowing it to simmer, backed up after saying his piece. Security at Fiserv Arena seemed to jump the gun slightly, but it’s their job to prepare for the worst.
Typically, that’s protecting players from fans or outside sources, not from themselves.