Draymond Green is coming off arguably his best-ever playoff series, putting offense and otherworldly defense together in a four-game sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers. Reaching the NBA Finals for a fifth straight time is only a reason to reflect on how far the Golden State Warriors have come since their lows at the start of the season, when Green confronted Kevin Durant in a heated argument at Staples Center.

While strong words were exchanged and stiff accusations were made, the two have repaired their relationship seamlessly throughout the rest of the season, which Green believes has only made them stronger:

“Me and Kevin been had a great relationship,” Green told Logan Murdock of NBC Sports Bay Area. “We had the moment we had in November, but I don’t have any close friends that I haven’t gotten into it with in a major way. I’ve gotten into with my brother — my blood brother — in a major way. That’s just what it is, but tough times build character, and that’s what I’ve done.”

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Their altercation on the Staples Center bench and in the bowels of the locker room is all but a vestige of yet another long road to a third straight title, a mission that has made Green and Durant bond, even after real feelings were involved in their argument.

The Warriors could culminate this season with much more to remember than an early-season fight, but also another ring to add to their collection, one that has grown each year Durant has been in the Bay Area since Green first made that call to bring him in.