Draymond Green was one of the few Golden State Warriors players who played well in last season’s Game 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
The Warriors held a commanding 3-1 series lead at one point, but they became the first team to ever lose an NBA Finals when leading by that large of a margin.
NBA.com’s David Aldridge asked Green about the possibility of facing Cleveland again in the NBA Finals next spring, and as you’d expect, the Warriors forward gave a candid response.
“I want to win the Western Conference, try to beat everybody in the Western Conference — which is a tough task,” Green said. “There are so many good teams. So that’s got to be our only focus, to win the Western Conference.
“And then, if Cleveland comes out of the East, I want to destroy Cleveland. No ifs, ands and buts about it. But I also know that there’s steps to get to that point. And if and when we get to that point, I want to annihilate them.”
No teams have ever met in the NBA Finals three times in a row. Cleveland probably has an easier path back to the Finals, too. The Eastern Conference is pretty weak outside of the Cavs, Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors. In the West, the Warriors have to deal with a veteran, talented Los Angeles Clippers squad and a hungry, battle-tested San Antonio Spurs team that crushed Golden State on opening night.
Still, Green’s mindset is exactly what the Warriors should demand from their top stars. The Cavs beat them in historic fashion on the game’s biggest stage last season, and revenge should be near the top of Golden State’s mind all season.
Thumbnail photo via Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports Images
