Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green recently shared his perspective on the Houston Rockets after a contentious matchup on Wednesday.
The game resulted in a victory for Houston and left star Stephen Curry injured, as noted by the “Warriors game recap”.
During a recent episode of his podcast, Green addressed whether the Rockets qualify as a dirty team, according to the “Draymond Green Show”.
Green stated, “I’m not going to sit here and call them a dirty team. They’re a physical team.”
He noted that while he does not classify them as dirty, certain aspects of their play style remain frustrating.
Green explained, “I think the thing that may irritate me the most is they play super physical and then they start flopping sometimes.”
The matchup also featured a physical altercation involving Marcus Smart, who was seen throwing a punch at Charles Bassey, per “local reports.”
Rockets coach Ime Udoka explained that the conflict began because Smart was agitated by Bassey hooking his previously injured elbow, as documented by the “Houston Chronicle.”
Smart was subsequently suspended for three games for his role in the incident.
Green also reflected on the historical rivalry between the two franchises, noting that the Warriors have frequently eliminated the Rockets from postseason contention, according to the “Chronicle archives.”
He suggested that this history creates a specific psychological pressure for Houston when playing at home.
Green remarked, “One thing you’ve got to understand about the Houston Rockets is, we’ve got a little mind control in that arena.”
The two teams are scheduled to face each other three more times this season, with their next meeting set for December 30 in San Francisco.