Physicality has been a major discussion topic in the NBA Finals series between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics. Celtics great Cedric Maxwell and Golden State forward Draymond Green have started an entertaining beef as they go back and forth about what the game was like in the ’80s and ’90s.
Maxwell did not believe in Golden State’s toughness before the series even began. He referred to the Warriors as “tuxedo players,” not wanting to be touched. While the first game saw a dominant performance by the Celtics, Game 2 saw a lot more physicality from the Warriors, with Green taking it upon himself to elevate the physicality.
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Boston started the series in dominating fashion after a massive fourth quarter gave them a 120-108 win in Game 1. Golden State shook it off to tie the series with a 107-88 blowout in Game 2, but Maxwell was not impressed with the way Green chose to play. (video clip NSFW)
“I’m gonna be as clear as I can,” Maxwell told Gary Payton on Sunday. “That shit Draymond Green was doing, during the ’80s he would have got knocked the f— out.”
Maxwell played for Boston from 1977 to 1985 and was part of the Celtics’ 1981 and 1984 championship teams, earning the Finals MVP honor in 1981. Green, who is known for speaking his mind, replied during Tuesday’s media availability by questioning Maxwell’s role as a tough guy in the ’80s.
“Some of the guys that be talking weren’t the guys that was punching people,” Green said. “There were a few guys back then that would lay you out, that would knock you out, that would foul you and get thrown out the game: Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn. But everyone running around acting like they were that. Y’all were getting bullied.”
Green said not everyone who played in those decades were as tough as they make it sound. He implied that players like Maxwell would likely not have been the ones to knock him out if he had been around during those times. Needless to say, Maxwell was not a fan of this response.
“You keep saying nobody punched nobody. You ask Charles Barkley what happened when he and I got in a fight when I was in L.A. with the Clippers,” Maxwell said on NBC Sports Boston.
“Draymond wasn’t even born when I was playing. … Draymond, ask your daddy who I was.”
As the physicality discussion continues, Celtics guard Marcus Smart likely put it best when he said his team will have to fight “fire with fire.” Game 3 is set for Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET at TD Garden.