Draymond Green and Baron Davis break down the Thunder-Timberwolves series, with Green criticizing Anthony Edwards' comments and Minnesota's decision to bench Julius Randle in the fourth quarter. Green expects OKC to close it out, citing the Thunder's steadier foundation and his own championship experience.
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We are recording this episode before Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. Will the Thunder win tonight?
Yeah, I think it's over, man. I just think, you know, with the Thunder, like I've seen some stuff coming from the Timberwolves that is hard to rally around. You know, like Ant-Man press conference last game, saying he didn't get enough shots. Like, I wanna see Ant-Man just own that moment. You know what I'm saying? Like, nah, I wasn't good enough. You know, because saying I ain't get enough shots, like, you got the ball. You know what I'm saying? So if Ant-Man shoot 25 times, his coach ain't gonna sit on him. So you kind of gotta go make that happen. I told y'all earlier in the series, I also didn't like benching Julius Randle in the fourth quarter in the game that he's having the first bad game he's having in the playoffs. And you, he get like benched in the fourth quarter. Like they haven't been through enough together to do stuff like that. You know where Steve Kerr in game, game 3 or 4, where I, I got benched kind of in the fourth quarter and then we started doing the offense to defense sub. It was game 3 actually. For me it was different because it had never happened before. But we had such a foundation to stand on. We had multiple championships that we had won already. To stand on to where Steve know, like, I can make this decision and I'm not going to lose my guy by making this decision because I've won 3 championships with this dude. We've been through numerous series that has called for adjustments to be made. He knows how this works, right? And like, fine. Like, I bounce right back, come back game 4, incredible game 5. Rideable game 6, right? Like, but again, there was a foundation built for us to stand on.
There was a trust.
Chris Finchman, Julius Randle coached for like 50-some games.
Yeah.
Because Ju missed a large chunk of the season with injury. So he's coached him like 50-some games. I'm not sure they have the foundation to stand on and, and like bench him in the fourth quarter for his first bad game. So when I saw that, right? Like when I say I've seen things come from them that I really don't like, like let's face it, OKC's the better team, no question. But just because you're the better team don't mean that you win. But when you are facing a team that's better, all of those things have to be right. And if those things aren't right, then you have no chance. And so I think those things catch up to you, right? Like, Benching Julius Randle, then he come out, he having a bad game last game. It's mentally, he like, man, I'm gonna come out, like I know I'm about to get subbed out, right? Like I can't make a mistake, you know? And so there's just different things, man, that coming outta that series, like looking, watching that series that I see coming out that I noticed because I've been through it. And those are things that you play on in a playoffs when you're facing those guys. I don't really, I just don't think they've put themselves in position throughout this series to take it. Now, as you know, it, it always, it only takes one game to change a series, but I just don't see tonight being that night. Like, I, I think OKC, they coming out, they wanna finish their breakfast.
All right. So since you got the Pacers winning, the East, OKC closing this up, why should fans be excited for a Thunder versus Pacers Finals?
I'm not one to get, get ahead of myself because I think I know better. I've, I've come back from down 3-1 and won a series. I've lost the series being up 3-1. So I'm not one that's saying this is happening because these two teams still gotta win it. And, and saying that I'm not even going to break down that series or even say why people should be excited because I, I think you gotta finish your breakfast first. This is the playoffs. Playoffs, anything can happen. So whereas I think the Knicks is done, whereas I think Timberwolves is done. You got, you got that, that last game is the toughest one. Yeah, you gotta prove it. Both of those teams coming out free swinging because they know like, yo, I ain't got nothing to lose. This is it. This is our last one if we lose. So I'm gonna give everything I got. I'm throwing every haymaker I got. And by the way, both of those teams have multiple guys that can beat you and take over a game. Julius Randle can, obviously Ant-Man can, KAT can, Jalen Brunson. Both of those teams have guys that can beat you. So I'm not going to get into which one of those, how that series, or being excited about it until it's time because you got to close them boys out and it ain't always that easy. What about you? We got one Get At Me question for our fans. What do you think about the Dallas Mavericks getting the number 1 pick in the NBA draft? What message does that send to tanking teams?
Don't tank. Don't tank. It's not gonna work out. Hey man, for Dallas, I mean, I've traded in the European actor for the great American hero. In Dallas, in Texas, I mean, come on, man. And this kid is probably the missing link in the trade for, for Luka that you get in addition to AD. So the great American hero, G.I. Joe, but, uh, Cooper Flagg. Cooper Flagg is like a G.I. Joe type of brand. We need like Cooper Flagg type of figurines. Dallas, the South, Texas. Come on, he gonna have some dogs around him and his versatility. That's a win. Dallas wins.
Golly, that's some incredible luck there. What message that's sending to the Tank continues for me, that shit don't work anyway. Anytime you trying to lose, that ain't never worked in your favor. Stop it.
Okay, who created the 4-ring handshake you do with Shaq?
Oh, man. It just kind of— So, Shaq, you know, would be able to do it. And there was always the pick on Charles moments up there. It's so fun picking on Charles. And Chuck's such a good sport about everything, and funny as hell that he get crazy comeback. So, it was just always ongoing. And so, Shaq going around, "I got 4 rings." Kenny, when I was— One of my first couple times on the set, "Kenny, how many rings you got?" 2. "Kenny got 2 rings." "Yeah, Draymond, how many rings you got?" "I got 4." I mean, this is actually, I had 3, but then I end up getting 4. He like, "Oh, 4? And you do the bump?" You know, Kenny do his 2, you know? Like Charles. We ain't gonna talk to you. And so that's just how it kind of came about. That's too funny. Me and Shaq throwing up our 4s and boom. So that's our thing, you know, 4 rings, baby.
Hey, y'all leave the OG Chuck alone, man. Chuck is the legend, stall him out.
Chuck is a legend, you know, but Chuck talk a lot of shit. Yeah, he do. A lot of shit. So it's always fun getting at Chuck. Chuck one of the best though, man. I've been so fortunate to be around those guys, talk basketball with those guys. I'm extremely grateful. TNT, Craig Barry, Tara August, who was there when I first came on.
Yep, all good people, man.
All great people. So I've been very fortunate to be with that crew, man.
