Draymond Green Talks Respect, Rivalry, and Fire After Fiery Matchup with Karl-Anthony Towns
SAN FRANCISCO - Thursday night’s clash between the Knicks and Warriors had all the ingredients of a classic: physical play, heated exchanges, and a pair of All-Star big men who’ve seen plenty of each other over the years. Karl-Anthony Towns and Draymond Green locked horns once again - and while the scoreboard favored Golden State, the real battle was taking place in the trenches.
Towns, now wearing Knicks blue, pulled down a monster 20 rebounds - eight of them on the offensive glass - as he tried to muscle New York through a game without Jalen Brunson, who sat out with a right ankle sprain. But Towns’ 17 points on 6-of-14 shooting came hard-earned, many of them against the relentless defense of Green, who brought his usual fire - and then some.
The two were seen exchanging words throughout the night, especially after the Warriors handed the Knicks their seventh loss in nine games. Towns, visibly frustrated postgame, wasn’t in the mood to dive into the back-and-forth. Green, on the other hand, had plenty to say - and surprisingly, most of it was praise.
“I don’t want to give my secrets away, but I do like the [Towns] matchup,” Green said with a smirk. “But I like playing against all the perennial All-Stars and stars in the league.
I enjoy those matchups. Those are the ones that really get me going.”
Green’s energy was on full display in the fourth quarter, when he was hit with a flagrant foul for tripping Towns on a drive to the rim - using his arms while on the floor to take down the Knicks’ big man. That wasn’t the only moment that drew attention. Green also broke out Russell Westbrook’s “rock the baby” celebration - more than once - after getting the better of Towns on a few possessions.
But underneath the antics, there was a deep level of respect.
“It’s an honor to play against a talent like Karl Towns,” Green said postgame. “Make no mistake about it, Karl Towns is one of the better big men in this league.
I cherish that opportunity. I know I get out there and I talk my junk and I stir the pot a little bit, for sure.
But the respect I have for talents like that - guys who’ve done it 10, 11 years at a high level - I have so much respect for that.”
Towns may be having a down year by his standards - averaging 21 points and 11.2 rebounds per game - but Green isn’t taking him lightly. Even with Towns’ efficiency dipping under new head coach Mike Brown, Green knows he has to bring his best to match up with a player of that caliber.
“I know going into that matchup that I have to be like that. Or he’s going to drag me,” Green said.
“For guys that bring the best out of me, I’m always grateful. I talk my junk, and we’ll play them again in March at The Garden, and I’ll talk then too.
But make no mistake - I’ve got so much respect for Karl Towns and what he’s done as a basketball player.”
That mutual fire is part of what’s made their rivalry so compelling over the years. There’s history here - including a 2024 Halloween podcast where Green suggested Towns ducked a game against the Warriors to avoid facing former teammate Jimmy Butler.
In reality, Towns had missed the game to attend a funeral for a family friend. The tension hasn’t disappeared, but it’s matured into a competitive edge both players seem to embrace.
Warriors coach Mike Brown didn’t think Green’s intensity was the difference-maker in the win, but he acknowledged that’s just who Draymond is.
“Nah. Draymond, that’s how he plays,” Brown said.
“Draymond’s always gonna be intense. That’s who he is.
That’s how he plays. I didn’t think it impacted us.”
Still, it’s hard to ignore the way Green rises to the occasion when matched up against Towns. Over 21 career games facing off, Towns is averaging 22 points and 11 rebounds against Green - numbers that speak to the back-and-forth nature of their battles.
This one went to Green and the Warriors. But with another meeting looming at Madison Square Garden in March, don’t expect the fire to cool anytime soon.
These two know how to bring the best - and sometimes the worst - out of each other. And for fans, that’s where the magic lives.