Draymond Green certainly knows his fair share about playing in the NBA Finals. The Golden State Warriors legend has made six trips to that stage and walked away with four championships as a result.
Green is also someone who is not unfamiliar with his holding a controversial opinion or two. The Warriors forward certainly had what could be considered a ‘hot take’ about the postseason journey and what it’s like to lose in the NBA Finals.
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green, known for his outspoken nature and fiery presence on and off the court, has sparked heated discussion with a controversial statement about the NBA Finals and the playoff journey. In a recent episode of The Draymond Green Show, the four-time NBA champion expressed a provocative opinion, saying, “You get nothing from making the NBA Finals except a couple 10K more dollars than the Conference Finals… Making it to the Finals is great, but if you don’t win, it’s almost worse. You might as well have lost in the first round.” This bold take has ignited debates among fans, analysts, and players alike, with many interpreting it as downplaying the significance of reaching the NBA Finals.
Green’s Perspective: The Pain of Falling Short
Green, a veteran of six NBA Finals appearances and four championships, spoke candidly about the emotional toll of losing on the league’s biggest stage. Drawing from his own experiences, particularly the Warriors’ historic collapse in the 2016 NBA Finals against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers—where they squandered a 3-1 lead—and their defeat to the Toronto Raptors in 2019, Green emphasized that the agony of falling short in the Finals can overshadow the achievement of getting there. “Making it to the NBA Finals is one of the worst seasons you can have,” he remarked, suggesting that the intense effort and emotional investment required to reach the Finals make a loss feel more devastating than an earlier playoff exit.
Green’s comments reflect his competitive mindset, where anything less than a championship is a failure. For a player who has been a cornerstone of the Warriors’ dynasty, alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, this perspective underscores his relentless drive for success. However, his statement has been met with criticism for seemingly dismissing the accomplishment of reaching the Finals, a feat only two teams achieve each year.
Backlash and Misinterpretation
The reaction to Green’s remarks was swift, with some accusing him of undermining the value of deep playoff runs. Social media posts on X highlighted the controversy, with one user noting, “Draymond is on video saying making the finals is great but the pain from losing makes you feel like you’d rather lose earlier and these idiots are conflating that with the obvious fact that the performances it took to get to the Finals matter.” Others, like @OddsShark, framed it more provocatively: “Draymond Green said he would rather lose in the first round than the NBA Finals… 🤔” These interpretations have fueled a narrative that Green is devaluing the journey to the Finals, prompting debates about whether his comments were taken out of context.
Critics argue that Green’s statement overlooks the significance of the playoff grind, where teams battle through multiple rounds to earn a Finals berth. The Warriors’ own journey, including their 2016 record-breaking 73-9 season that ended in a Finals loss, serves as a testament to the monumental effort required to reach that stage. Some fans and analysts believe Green’s take could alienate younger players or teams striving for their first Finals appearance, as it implies that anything short of a championship renders the season a failure.
Green’s History of Controversy
This is not the first time Green has stirred the pot with his opinions. Known for his unfiltered commentary, both on his podcast and in media appearances, Green has a history of making polarizing statements. Earlier in the 2025 playoffs, he faced backlash for rejecting the label of an “angry Black man” after receiving his fifth technical foul in a Game 2 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon responded harshly, saying, “Do not play victim here. Stop doing crazy and stupid stuff. We’re sick of you doing stupid, flagrant, crap on a regular basis.” Green’s on-court antics, including a flagrant foul on LeBron James in the 2016 Finals that led to a suspension, have often fueled perceptions of him as a volatile figure.
Despite the criticism, Green’s defenders, including Warriors coach Steve Kerr, argue that his intensity is what makes him a unique competitor. Kerr has previously described Green’s competitive nature as a double-edged sword: “It’s the same thing that makes him such a competitor and a winner puts him over the top sometimes.” This intensity has been a hallmark of Green’s career, contributing to his status as a four-time All-Star, 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, and likely future Hall of Famer.
Context of the Warriors’ 2025 Season
Green’s comments come in the wake of the Warriors’ elimination by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, a series that saw them struggle without Stephen Curry, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury. Despite their first-round upset over the Houston Rockets, the Warriors could not overcome the Timberwolves, with Green acknowledging the stellar play of Minnesota’s Julius Randle, who averaged 25.2 points and 7.4 assists in the series. Green’s reflection on the playoffs and the Finals may stem from this recent disappointment, as he expressed optimism about the Warriors’ future, stating, “I think we’ll be right back at it. It sucks to end this way, but we think we got the pieces to make another run at it and do it again.”
Draymond Green says he would rather lose in the first round than in the NBA Finals
(🎥 @DraymondShow) pic.twitter.com/XcAZ2LgUps
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 4, 2025
Green added: “I know that may sound hard for people to believe, but those that have won championships would definitely understand what I’m saying. … You get nothing for making the NBA finals except a couple of $10,000 more than the conference final.”
The defining statement from Green’s assessment was this: “Making it to the Finals is great, but if you don’t win it, it’s almost worse. You might as well have lost in the first round.”
The final narrative there is one that many NBA fans have argued about in their time of following the game. Is it better to lose early or make it all the way and come up just short? For Green, an early exit is the preferred route.