The Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers made it to the NBA Finals for four straight years from 2015-18, and the animosity between Tristan Thompson and Draymond Green finally exploded in 2018. At the conclusion of Game 1, Green clapped in Thompson’s face after the Cavs’ big man was ejected in the final seconds. Thompson promptly responded with a basketball to Green’s face and a challenge to meet him outside. “I can meet him in the streets any day,” Green said afterward.
Aside from a quick scuffle in Game 3 that led to a technical foul on each, cooler heads prevailed as the Warriors rolled to a four-game sweep and their third title in four years. During the post-game handshakes, Green tossed a little fuel on the fire, refusing to shake Thompson’s hand.
“There’s a lot of guys in this league, they soft. We just cut from a different cloth….I told one of them dudes from the Cavs after the game, he tried to shake my hand. I said, ‘Tristan, we ain’t cut the same,'” Green told NBC Sports during the Warriors’ championship parade (per USA TODAY). Less than a month later, the two were at an ESPYS after party, where Thompson took Green up on his offer from after Game 1. Reports detailed anything from Thompson sucker-punching Green, to more of a face-mush.
While neither player detailed exactly what happened, it’s clear these two have unresolved issues.
