Draymond Green Cut Down On Alcohol For Warriors’ 3-Peat Run Amidst Severe Media Scrutiny

Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Quinn Cook recently appeared for an interview on the ‘Captain Jack Podcast’. During the same, he recalled what it was like being teammates with Draymond Green during the former’s two years with the Golden State Warriors. One of Cook’s favorite incidents involving the 34-year-old took place back in 2019 when Green’s feud with Kevin Durant was making headlines. Cook recalled how the spat had an effect on Green, causing him to take some games off. At the same time, however, he also used the time to work on himself and his physical well-being.

“After the All-Star Break….he locked in on his diet, like he wasn’t drinking liquor, no more wine, wasn’t drinking,” said Cook. “(Wasn’t) Eating like bad, like no sugar, nothing. He just changed his whole body”. Cook further recalled how Green’s strict regime upon himself improved his performance, as seen when the Warriors went against the Portland Trail Blazers for the first time since Durant’s exit.

“He was playing out of his mind bro, like he was getting 12, 18, and 15” Cook added. “Him and Steph was on another level”.

The Warriors were looking to lock down their third consecutive championship win during the 2018-19 NBA season. Knowing how high the stakes were, the power forward probably couldn’t allow his feelings at that time to get the better of him. Draymond Green’s performance had taken a steep dive when comparing it to the one he delivered during his previous season. However, he slowly and steadily worked on it as the Warriors approached the playoffs.

During the first-round series against the Clippers, Green had succeeded in putting a triple-double with his 16 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. That performance started a chain reaction. During the Trail Blazers game mentioned by Cook, the player had established a career-high record by recording 10+ rebounds in seven consecutive games. Despite the fact that the Warriors eventually lost the NBA finals to the Toronto Raptors, Green had reached the rank of Lakers legend Magic Johnson by tying him in possessing the second most triple-doubles in a single postseason.

While Draymond Green may have exited the 2018-19 season as a great player, his feud with Kevin Durant was not something that people were ready to forget soon.

What occurred between Draymond Green and Kevin Durant during the 2018-19 season?

Fans started to notice tensions rising between Draymond Green and Kevin Durant during a clash against the Lakers at the Staples Center. An on-court negative exchange occurred between the teammates after Green had refused to pass the ball to Durant at a pivotal junction of the game. The situation got so bad that DeMarcus Cousins had to drag Green away. Durant would later go on to admit that the argument, which later continued till the locker room, played a “little” role in his decision to be traded to the Brooklyn Nets.

“Yeah I mean, your teammate talks to you that way, you think about it a little bit,” said Durant. “Definitely, for sure, I’m not going to lie about it.”

Five years later, the tension between the two players seems to have de-escalated. While they may never get the chance to play together again, they can still enjoy the remainder of their NBA years as friendly rivals.

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