Damian Lillard Takes Draymond Green’s Trash Talking ‘As a Challenge’

Damian Lillard wants it to be known that he isn’t typically a trash talker, but he’ll make an exception for Draymond Green and the Warriors.

After Green’s verbal provocations throughout the Warriors’ 121-109 Game 1 win on Sunday, both Lillard said that he welcomed the talk trash and was dishing it back as well.

“I think having a guy like that on the floor, I think it raises the level of the game, because I don’t even talk trash, and he was saying so much out there that I had a whole lot to say tonight.

 

“I think that’s good for the game. The League has softened up a lot, and it’s not like that. You’ve got to have a rough guy like him out there. I think it’s necessary. Their team, they depend on him to be that dog out there and be that person.

 

“For me, it’s just going to make me raise the level of my game because I take it as a challenge. I’m going to take exception to it, and I’m going to say something back. That’s what it’s going to be, as long as that’s how he’s approaching it—it’s going to be coming right back.”

The jawing started early in the game after JaVale McGee was whistled for a foul on Lillard, and eventually, McCollum got involved, too.

Green took the opportunity to get involved and raised his game in accordance, delivering a massive block on a fourth-quarter Lillard dunk attempt.

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