Former NBA champion Channing Frye revealed that the Cleveland Cavaliers were trying to bait Draymond Green into a suspension during the 2016 NBA Finals.
Per The Athletic’s podcast, Frye admitted as much saying, “Everyone was trying to bait him, and they’re mad about it.”
Were the Cavaliers trying to bait Draymond Green into getting suspended from the 2016 NBA Finals?
"Everyone was trying to bait him, and they're mad about it." — @channingfrye https://t.co/q7acbasBRZ pic.twitter.com/9aKfRe0IFN
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 24, 2023
To quickly recap, the Warriors led the series 3-1 and the forward was suspended for Game 5 following his altercation with LeBron James during Game 4. Prior to his tussle, Green already had three flagrant fouls to his name over the course of the playoffs and the fourth, and that triggered an automatic suspension.
This suspension meant Golden State playing without their star defensive presence, which many fans believe was one of the reasons behind the Cavaliers making a resounding comeback.
With Green suspended, the Cavaliers won Game 5 on the road, sending the series back to Cleveland. They managed to equalize the series 3-3 before clinching a miracle Game 7 in the Warriors’ home arena to seal a historic win.
And all that given their strategy against Green. Safe to say, the ploy worked perfectly in the Cavs’ favor.
Draymond Green Accused LeBron James Of Coaxing Him Into A Tussle During The 2016 NBA Finals
In a recent edition of ‘The Old Man and the Three’ podcast, JJ Redick asked Green about that altercation with LeBron James and the veteran accused the latter of persuading him into his reaction.
“The only thing that may have changed is I’m not sure I would react the same in the moment, just because I have grown as a person,” Green said, via Cavaliers Nation. “I don’t regret reacting the way I reacted at the moment because the only reason I can’t promise you that I wouldn’t react that way is because if somebody steps over my shoulder, I’m naturally going to try to get you off my shoulder. That’s just who I am, man.”
“I can’t promise you that I wouldn’t react the same way, but what I do know is I think LeBron coaxed me into that,” Green said. “And I know for sure today he couldn’t coax me into that.”
But while he can admit that he has been a lot wiser, that move, if James indeed did it intentionally, did work in their favor as they were able to get back into contention without Green being there for Golden State.
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