Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors is the reigning 2024-25 NBA Hustle Award winner. His win was tainted by a resulting spat with Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets. Green took exception to the criticism when Brooks labeled Green a “dirty player” following a tense exchange in Game 2 of their playoff series. Unfortunately, that scuffle cost Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler a finger.
During the game, Amen Thompson accidentally shoved Draymond Green into Butler, sending the latter crashing to the ground in a very bad fall. Butler was then ruled questionable for the next game due to the injury. The incident sent shockwaves around the league, with coaches and players alike commenting on the controversial non-call.
Golden State’s head coach Steve Kerr came to Thompson’s defense on this one, arguing that there was no intent to injure on the play. He stated, “It’s obvious it wasn’t intentional. You look at all the bodies in between and him getting bumped and tripped and the way he fell. You don’t fall into somebody face first on purpose.”
Dillon Brooks was not coy about his trash-talking abilities in tarnishing Green’s legacy. He remarked, “No, I think the dirty player is Draymond, giving him a little push as regular basketball players do.” Despite this, Brooks acknowledged Thompson’s character, asserting that the young player has “nothing to do with being a dirty player.”
As the match turned more physical, players from either side started getting technical fouls called in the second half. The feeling of tension grew thanks to a past run-in with Brooks. Earlier this season, he scored a Flagrant 2 foul on Gary Payton II, sending Payton crashing to the pavement fracturing his elbow in the process.
Ime Udoka, head coach of the Rockets, defended Thompson, stating, “Amen’s obviously not a dirty player. There’s a difference between aggressive, physical play and being dirty.” He implored all of the critics to concentrate on that gameplay, and not the ad hominem attacks.
Given everything that’s happened recently, Dillon Brooks underscored the need to keep their eyes on the prize as this series continues. “We’re not worried about that. We’re on to the next game and we hope Jimmy can get better,” he said.
As each side settles in for Game 3, you could cut the tension with a knife. The future of this series will be determined much more by talent and tactics. Players need to adeptly manage the ever more chippy emotional climate atop the court.
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