"The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis" must go on, but not without the New York Knicks, apparently.
Still reveling in the controversy his baseless accusation against Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns caused, the Golden State Warriors' instigator offered a behind-the-scenes look at his first meeting with the All-Star center on the web series that started it all.
Green, of course, started the verbal kerfuffle when he hinted that Towns skipped Golden State's March 4 visit to Madison Square Garden to avoid an awkward reunion with fellow former Minnesotan Jimmy Butler. Towns did partake in last Saturday's rematch in San Francisco, where he and Green were in each other's faces all night.
"I think this was a big moment for Towns," Green said. "I called him soft. He said 'man, you a h**' ... he said h**, h**, h**, h**, h**. I said get him out of here, go sit him down."
By now, it's been well-established Towns, listed as out due to personal reasons for that original March 4 game, was actually on a bereavement leave after his girlfriend Jordyn Woods lost a close friend to cancer. He has since returned to the New York lineup and posted a 29-point, 12-rebound double-double despite dealing with early foul trouble.
That output began with a driving double that saw Towns breeze past Green after a pump fake, something that the Warriors agitator implied was set up due to their ongoing lack of pleasantries. Golden State eventually won the game by a 97-94 final where Green was held to nine points on 3-of-9 shooting, though the last couple served as a de facto dagger.
While Green has yet to formally apologize for the accusation, he continues to take indirect credit for Towns' performance that night and didn't back down in his latest episode with Davis.
"I absolutely loved that he came out with that mentality," Green said. "There are things that go on throughout the course of an NBA season that should give you a chip on your shoulder. What I hate is when guys act like it didn't happen."
Green continued to offer backhanded compliments for Towns, stoking a rivalry that stems back to their shared Western Conference days.
"If Karl-Anthony Towns was my teammate, that's what I'm looking to get out of him every single night," Green said, citing Matt Barnes' similar recent comments on his own web series. "If he played that physical all the time, he'd be much more respected in the NBA than he is. He's respected as a talented player ... If KAT came out and played with the type of dog [energy] that he played with against me the other night, man, good luck guarding Karl-Anthony Towns."
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!