The Golden State Warriors regained the services of Draymond Green after his midseason suspension. Green scuffled with Jusuf Nurkic in early December, which resulted in his leave of play. Still, the veteran Dubs forward continues to face criticism, and Gilbert Arenas gave his thoughts on the matter.
Gilbert Arenas believes Green's Warriors success should be more closely noted
Draymond Green has been noted to go too far with his on-the-court antics during the 2023-24 season. For example, he put Rudy Gobert in a headlock during a scuffle in the Warriors' Nov. 12th Timberwolves game.
Afterward, he delivered an excessive blow to Jusuf Nurkic on Dec. 12, which resulted in his indefinite suspension. The drama continues to last in 2024, as Nurkic made bold comments about Green after the Warriors beat the Phoenix Suns 113-112 on Feb. 10th.
Nurkic said Green “didn't learn anything” and that the Dubs forward did not deserve a second chance. Outside of getting under Nurkic's skin, Green appeared to simply outplay him, which further prompted debate about the defensive forward's antics.
Now, Gilbert Arenas is adding an eye-opening element to the conversation.
“[Draymond Green] has a knack for constantly irritating the norm. Your rhythm…And it's paid off. He is a four-time champion. He's a DPOY. He has all the accolades as an individual to stand on what he does,” Arenas said on Gil's Arena, presented by Underdog Fantasy.
The former NBA point guard noted Green using tactics such as strategically making contact with a player to get under his skin. Of course, hitting someone with excessive force is inexcusable, but legal contact or subtle mind games are a smart way to disrupt a player's rhythm.
As Arenas explained, Green is elite at such tactics has the accolades show that he is a historically elite player. All in all, it is important to include Green's success in conversations about the impact of his antics. There are drawbacks but also advantages to the veteran forward's on-court mentality.
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