Game 1 between the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves tips off at 9:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday night. Draymond Green and Rudy Gobert have had some head-turning altercations throughout their careers, making this matchup a highly anticipated series. However, leading up to Game 1, Gobert downplayed the feud he and Green have had over the years.
After the Timberwolves’ practice on Tuesday morning, the 32-year-old center was asked about facing Green in a seven-game series. Rudy Gobert downplayed the whole thing but did give the Warriors forward props for being an all-time great defender, according to David McMenamin of ESPN. Overall, it appears Gobert is more concerned about winning Game 1 than he is about Green’s antics on the court.
“I enjoy it. He’s a fierce competitor … and so am I.”
Rudy Gobert and Draymond Green have been feuding for quite some time now. It all started with social media jabs at one another, with the Warriors star even openly bashing Gobert while working on TNT’s coverage of NBA All-Star Weekend in 2022.
The French center trolled Green when news broke that the 35-year-old forward punched then-teammate Jordan Poole during a Warriors practice. Gobert posted on social media, “Insecurity is always loud.” He didn’t tag Green in the post, but many assumed it was a subtle shot at the four-time NBA champion.
Draymond Green used that exact same four-word phrase on social media after reports indicated that Gobert had punched then Timberwolves teammate Kyle Anderson at the end of the 2022-23 season.
The feud reached a tipping point when the Warriors and Timberwolves finally faced off in 2023. When Rudy Gobert attempted to calm down an on-court scuffle between Klay Thompson and Jaden McDaniels, Draymond Green rushed over and put the star center into a chokehold. Green received a five-game suspension for his actions.
Since then, the two have continued throwing jabs at one another on social media, but there haven’t been any on-court problems. However, Green is well-known for getting into physical altercations, especially during the postseason. For that reason, all eyes will be on this matchup on Tuesday night as Green and Gobert face off in the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
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