Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James are known to be good friends before being fierce competitors. However, the friendly banter between the two seeped through when Green hilariously trolled James for missing out on the opening night matchup between the two teams.
Coming off the elation of a 119-109 win against the Lakers, Green took a shot at James during his post-game media availability.
When asked what it was like to face Los Angeles without James on the floor, Green joked, “LeBron’s old a** was over there in his Phil Jackson chair.”
While referring to coaching legend Phil Jackson, Draymond Green showed his friend no mercy, gaining a rise from the media personnel. However, he continued by giving James credit for his presence when he is on the court.
“Obviously, we’ve had battles with Luka, as well. Luka’s an incredible player. But Bron is Bron,” Green claimed. “The battles that we’ve had over the years, you look forward to those. So it’s odd. He doesn’t miss many games, let alone in a season opener. So, it’s really odd not seeing him out there, looking over, and he’s sitting in street clothes. But that’s also why you go and get a Luka Doncic. He’s a 1A, too.”
James, who was missing his first opening night game in 23 years, was sidelined after suffering from sciatica. Given how concerning such an injury can be, the superstar is expected to be out of action until mid-November at least.
LeBron James’ absence was telling in the Lakers’ performance, as they were completely dominated by the Warriors in the second half of the game. With concerns growing regarding the development of chemistry with the summer signings, the Purple and Gold will hope to have James return to the lineup soon to hasten this process.
Draymond Green Sheds Light On LeBron James’ Injury
LeBron James was initially diagnosed with nerve damage in his glute, which restricted him to individual training during training camp. While this painted a positive outlook for the preseason, the injury was upgraded, raising concerns about his health, especially at this stage in his career.
Although some have claimed that James’ injury is an excuse for him to rest, Draymond Green shed more light on how severe an injury like this is and what a potential timeline for return could be.
“I’ve lived that,” Green stated. “Wishing him a speedy recovery, but the thing about it is, it’s not like… Like, there’s no real timetable. You just kind of have to go and go and see how far you can push it and see how much further you can push it. It’s a crappy injury, so definitely wishing him a speedy recovery.”
The acknowledgment from the Warriors’ forward somewhat proves the legitimacy of James’ condition, but it doesn’t alleviate the situation for the Lakers in any way.
Meanwhile, the Warriors will be more invested in their own performances moving forward. With a solid win in the bag to kick off their new campaign, the Warriors will be heading into their next matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, Oct. 24, with some momentum behind them.
