You just knew Draymond Green wasn’t going to let this one slide.
Green responded to former Celtics player and current Celtics radio broadcaster Cedric Maxwell’s comments after Game 2, when he said that if Green played in his era, he would’ve been knocked out.
Green gave a lengthy and highly entertaining response on Tuesday when addressing the media, pointing out that Maxwell didn’t knock anybody out during his time, and that he’s riding the coattails of tougher guys.
Here’s the extended monologue:
One thing that baffles me about the 80’s or the 90’s or whatever you want to call when basketball was so much more physical, is some of the guys that be talking weren’t the guys that was punching people. They act like guys was just walking around the court and I’m hitting this guy in the nose.
There were a few guys back then that would lay you out, that would knock you out, that would foul you and get thrown out the game: Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn. But everybody running around acting like they were that, y’all were getting bullied. So it baffles me when every guy just because they played in the 80’s, just because they played in the 90’s, are like ‘Man if you played in our day, you’d get knocked out!’ Nah, not really cause it wouldn’t be you.
Okay, you said Rick Mahorn would have knocked me out. Rick Mahorn probably would have knocked you out. Bill Laimbeer probably would’ve laid you out. Were there enforcers of that time? Of course. Would they have knocked you out, of course. Their fine was also two dollars. It’s just not the same day and age.
If I knock somebody out, I probably get fined a million dollars. It just don’t work the same.
Green went on to say that players are not defined by their era. Draymond said that Maxwell’s comments would be like him bragging 20 years from now about how good of a shooter you had to be when he played, despite the fact that Green is not a good shooter.
Draymond was definitely in NBA Finals form for Game 2. It’s nice to see that has also translated to the podium.