Whew. Is everyone doing ok? Did anyone go to sleep yet?
Tuesday night Damian Lillard ended a playoff series in the most dramatic way possible when he drained a 37-footer in Paul George’s face to finish the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games.
After the game (a reasonably salty) Paul George said that Lillard’s shot was a ‘bad shot’ and really leaned into it, saying it three times.
Paul George on the game winner: "That's a bad shot." #RipCity #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/PElNdBSAHr
— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) April 24, 2019
“That’s a bad shot. I don’t care what anybody says, that’s a bad shot. But hey he made it. That story won’t be told, that it was a bad shot.”
Draymond Green disagrees.
Wednesday morning Green met with reporters ahead of his own Game 5 at home. Green is somewhat of a expert on playing with dudes who take shots from that far away from the basket, so he was asked if he agreed with George’s analysis.
“I think there are still bad shots even if they go in,” Green said. “But I don’t know if you can really say that then. That gave him 50. So, I don’t know if you get 50 if any shot is a bad shot. Because heat checks and everything are allowed at that point if you got 50.”
Draymond Green on Damian Lillard: “If you get 50, I don’t know if any shot a bad shot.” pic.twitter.com/lCZG9fksWR
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 24, 2019
It certainly was a heat check, but also one that didn’t touch the rim. If the Nuggets finish out the Spurs they’ll face the Trail Blazers in the second round, most likely leaving the Warriors to clash with the Rockets in the other conference semi-final series.