Draymond Green's Knicks Hate Resurfaces With Bold Claim

Green questioned whether the Cavaliers can replicate last season's 64-win campaign after losing pieces like Ty Jerome, who he called important for that locker room. He noted teams have had a full year to scout Cleveland's offense and suggested the loss of continuity could derail their championship aspirations entirely.

His confidence about the West's superiority ignores what's already happened on the court. The Knicks started 2-0 with wins over Cleveland and Boston, the exact teams Green cited as the East's best hope. Philadelphia opened 3-0 with Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe combining for 186 points through three games, the most by any starting backcourt through a team's first three games since 1970.

Can the Knicks Prove Draymond Green Wrong?

New York defeated Boston 105-95 on October 24 behind Jalen Brunson's 31 points and Karl-Anthony Towns' 26 points and 13 rebounds. The Knicks dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Celtics 42-14 to build a 64-44 halftime lead at Madison Square Garden.

That victory followed their season-opening 119-111 win over Cleveland, where OG Anunoby and Brunson led New York past Donovan Mitchell's 31 points. The opening night win marked the Knicks' first opening-night victory since 2021 under new coach Mike Brown.

The early returns match the expectations New York built last season. Brunson averaged 26.0 points and 7.3 assists per game while winning Clutch Player of the Year honors, and Towns posted 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. The roster continuity heading into their second full season together directly contradicts Green's narrative about the East lacking championship-caliber teams.

The Knicks aren't alone in proving Green wrong. Philadelphia's start complicates his assessment even further. The 76ers opened 3-0, their best start since 2019, with Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe combining for 186 points through three games. That total marks the most by any starting backcourt through a team's first three games since 1970.

Maxey led Philadelphia with 43 points and eight assists in their 136-124 win over Orlando on October 27, while Edgecombe added 26 points and seven assists in his third NBA game. The backcourt's scoring explosion came despite Joel Embiid sitting out for injury management, showing depth Green's assessment overlooks.

The on-court evidence contradicts Green's claims, but his track record suggests objectivity isn't the goal. Green's dismissal of the East rings particularly hollow given his history with the Knicks. He accused Knicks owner James Dolan of having a "slave master mentality" during the 2017 Charles Oakley incident. He's called their playoff runs a "fluke" on his podcast and engaged in viral confrontations with Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden during last season's playoffs.

Beyond the personal history, the numbers don't support Green's sweeping dismissal. Through October 27, the standings tell a more balanced story than his hot take. The Bulls and 76ers both opened 3-0 to pace the East, while the Cavaliers sit at 3-1. The West features the Spurs and Thunder at 4-0, but the gap between conferences appears narrower than Green suggested.

Green's four championships and defensive expertise give his basketball opinions weight. But his pattern of provocative takes about the East, especially the Knicks, suggests these comments serve his media brand more than objective analysis. New York's statement wins over the two teams he named as contenders provide the best response. The Knicks don't need to debate Green's premise when they can disprove it on the court.