The war of words in the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets series has been ramping up.
Even before the NBA Playoffs series started, the match-up between the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors looked like a potential powderkeg.
With Draymond Green already having history with Steven Adams, and Dillon Brooks famed for his combative approach, it was only a matter of time before this series heated up.
With an injury sustained to Jimmy Butler in Game 2 may have lit the fuse. Draymond Green and Fred VanVleet were seen clashing at the end of the bout, with the series tied at 1-1.
And with Amen Thompson caught up in the play leading to Jimmy Butler’s injury, there are tensions on both side.
Houston Rockets star Dillon Brooks was moved to defender teammate Amen Thompson, speaking to the media as the build-up began ahead of an eagerly anticipated Game 3.
Quoted via ESPN when asked if Amen Thompson made a ‘dirty play’, Brooks immediately flipped the question around.
Thompson said: “No, I think the dirty player is Draymond [Green], giving him a little push as regular basketball players do. And Jimmy’s fighting in the air for a rebound and stuff happens.
“Amen’s not a dirty player. He has [nothing] to do with being a dirty player.”
The Warriors have put the Jimmy Butler incident down to merely a basketball play, with accusations towards Thompson coming from the fans.
But clearly there is no love lost between Green and Brooks, prompting Moses Moody to stand up for his veteran teammate.
Ohm Youngmisuk reports Moody was left amused by Brooks’ comments, responding: “It’s a little ironic isn’t it?”
Brooks has his own reputation, with Nick Wright branding him a ‘dangerous player’ ahead of the series.
Jimmy Butler underwent a MRI scan following his fall, and he avoided serious injury, yet he is still banged up.
Steve Kerr is not yet ruling Butler out of Game 3, although former NBA star Paul Pierce has expressed concern.
Pierce argues that even if Butler does come back, he will be bruised and not fully healthy, and this will impede his game and the Warriors, potentially for the rest of the playoffs.
But with growing needle between the two teams, a competitor like Butler won’t want to be on the sidelines, especially if it all kicks off.
