Danny Green recalls Klay’s 2019 Finals injury, Warriors villain tag originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
It’s been roughly five years since Klay Thompson tore his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, and Danny Green still thinks about the pain he caused him, the Warriors and their fan base.
Green, of course, accidentally caused the ACL tear when he fouled the Golden State guard on an emotional night in which the Raptors left Oracle Arena as first-time NBA Champions.
In talking to Draymond Green on “The Draymond Green Show” on Friday, Danny recalled the play and aftermath that has since clouded his NBA career.
“I appreciate you, man,” Danny told Draymond. “I appreciate you having me. I’m glad there’s some type of love on that side of the coast, well, I guess in the Bay Area. I was asked earlier today — I was doing a radio hit — ‘Is there any organization that hates you?’ I couldn’t think of one until [it] was tweeted out that I was on your show. And I’m like, ‘Damn.’ There’s only one organization where the fans are like, ‘Nah.’ They ain’t messing with it.
“But I understand. I get it. Five years ago, I was hoping some of them forgot about it or let it go. I’m not a dirty player.”
The former Raptors guard is well aware of how Dub Nation receives him. He is on record for wishing that the play never happened, too.
Fortunately, Thompson was able to make a return to the NBA — even after suffering a season-ending achilles rupture in 2020 — and help the Warriors defeat the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals. It had to take some pressure off the three-time NBA Champion, knowing Thompson’s career wasn’t over and instead thriving at the time.
Danny hopes Warriors fans now can see him in a better light since the dust has somewhat settled. Golden State players that competed in the 2019 finals such as Draymond and Andre Iguodala never looked at Danny sideways, either, for what it’s worth.
Regardless, Danny made it clear that he has nothing but love for Dub Nation, and he admires the heck out of Draymond for enduring real negativity from essentially all NBA fans on a nightly basis.
“I couldn’t imagine how it is being the villain every night in every arena,” Danny said to Draymond. “So, a lot of flowers, a lot of kudos to you, brother. The only [fan base] that does not like me at all is Golden State fans, but still, a lot of love to the fans everywhere. No love lost.”
The Greens agree that there are no hard feelings about what happened in the 2019 NBA Finals.
Hopefully, Dub Nation collectively can join in on the peace and harmony.
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