Draymond Green didn't appreciate Karl-Anthony Town's defensive efficiency against Nikola Jokic when the two big men faced off in a Knicks-Nuggets game.
Last May, when the Minnesota Timberwolves pulled off an impressive comeback against defending champions Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, Draymond Green singled out Karl-Anthony Towns' defense on Nikola Jokic as one of the biggest reasons Chris Finch's squad came out victorious.
| Player of the Game | |
|
EFF
44
|
| Jalen Brunson | |
| Points | 30 |
| Accuracy | 10-16 |
| Rebounds | 4 |
| Assists | 15 |
"When [Rudy] Gobert got Joker on him, they were sending the double team right away. It's a little bit interesting when you got the Defensive Player of the Year versus the MVP," Draymond said on his podcast.
"But not a double team for your other guy who's historically been a bad defender; he has been crushed for being a bad defender and has stepped up all series long by taking on that challenge."
However, when the two big men faced one another once again last Wednesday, when the New York Knicks prevailed 122-112 at home over the Nuggets.
Jokic racked up 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, as New York managed to nab their fifth straight win of their current streak. Despite the outcome, Karl-Anthony Towns received from Draymond Green for his defensive strategies against the Serbian big.
“KAT in a full front on Joker… even if you win the game, it don’t matter. You will never hold the respect from an opponent to win at the highest level,” the Warriors forward tweeted after the game.
“Pride must make you sit down and guard, even if you give up 40," Green continued.
"Winning is a mindset, and in order to win a championship, you have to win the mental edge. That's why only a few guys per era win all the championships. They understand that thing.",” the four-time NBA champion added.
Towns is averaging 24.5 points, 13.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 54% from the field and 44.9% from beyond the arc.
The Knicks are 32-16, standing 3rd in the Eastern Conference behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. This season, they've won both games against the Nuggets.
Thank you for reading us! Help us even more.
