In the modern and evolving NBA, you are often only as strong as your weakest link in defense. The Memphis Grizzlies learned Wednesday that this also applies to trash talk.
For reasons that are increasingly difficult to determine, Grizzlies winger Dillon Brooks once again attempted to reignite the team’s rivalry with the Golden State Warriors by tackling Draymond Green in an ESPN interview published Friday.
Conversations between the two teams have been routine but haven’t gone Memphis’ way thus far. The Grizzlies were eliminated by the Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals last year and have lost both games to the team this season, not to mention their other issues right now.
Brooks still wasn’t shy about speaking his mind:
“I don’t like Draymond at all,” he says. “I just don’t like Golden State. I don’t like anything to do with them. Draymond talks a lot. Gets away with it a lot too. His game is cool – with Golden State – but if you put him somewhere else, you won’t know who Draymond is. He plays with heart, plays hard, knows the ins and outs of their defense. I guess that’s why they like him there.
In this ESPN article, Green allegedly laughed and refused to answer when asked about Brooks’ comments. Ultimately, he was waiting to respond via “The Draymond Green Show,” and he went straight to the throat.
Here’s a quick sample of Green’s messages to Brooks during his show’s interview:
“To be frank, I wouldn’t like a team that beats me all the time either.”
“You were a little boy in high school watching us win championships. I should be glad you even witnessed that.”
“You talk a lot now, so if you had four rings, of course you talk a lot more. Four stars? You probably talk a little more. Defensive Player of the Year? Probably you would talk more. Two Olympic gold medals You would definitely talk because that would mean you beat Team USA, and we all know how that goes.”
“If you’ve ever wondered why the Memphis Grizziles aren’t ready to compete for a championship, look no further than this idiot here. They’re actually counting on this guy to help them win a championship. And he says that his game is cool. Frankly, it shows how little you know about basketball. And yet you run around talking about a dynasty? The dynasty starts after you, not with you.
“I’m trying to figure out why they like you in Memphis. Or do they like you in Memphis? That’s a better question. I’m not sure your teammates like you. But I I can tell you why they like me (in Golden State). When you contribute like I contributed to four championships, they tend to like you.”
It’s easy to win the trash-talk battle when you have four rings and the other has none, but as the Grizzlies are now showing, it’s also very hard to win a ring.
Luckily, the Grizzlies and Warriors are set to meet for the third time this season on Thursday, with the Grizzlies still missing Ja Morant. At least Green and Brooks’ battles should be fun.