Green is never one to suppress his feelings.
Perhaps the most iconic moment in the 2008 NBA Finals was when Paul Pierce went down with what appeared to be a series-ending injury. Pierce was taken off in a wheelchair only to return a few minutes later. Of course, we now know that Pierce actually had to go to the bathroom and was simply looking for a way out. This moment is engrained in the minds of basketball fans and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors won’t let him forget it.
On Saturday, Green’s teammate D’Angelo Russell went down with what could have been a devastating injury. Russell left the game without any help and was able to come back later on. Green admired Russell’s refusal for help and in doing so, he threw some light shade at Pierce.
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“Happy he didn’t leave on a stretcher and then come back in,” Green said Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “I would’ve lost all respect. We’ve had some guys do shit like that in this league.”
In Slater’s report, he confirmed that Green was talking about Pierce which makes his comment that much funnier. Whenever you think of overdramatic NBA moments, you immediately think about Pierce being carried off in a wheelchair. Even if Green has a point, we just wonder what Pierce has to say about all of this shade.