Golden State Warriors took down the New York Knicks on March 15 with a hard-fought 97-94 victory, but the biggest storyline of the NBA night wasn’t just the win—it was the heated battle between Draymond Green and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Green and Towns exchanged words multiple times throughout the game, and Green later revealed what was said during an episode of The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis. “This was a big moment for Towns,” Green said. “I called him soft. He said, ‘Man, you a h.'”
According to Green, Towns repeated the insult several times during the game. However, rather than taking offense, the Warriors forward actually welcomed the intensity from the Knicks star.
“So, I’m loving that,” Green stated. “If Karl-Anthony Towns was my teammate, that’s what I’d want to see from him every single night. If he played that physical all the time, he’d be much more respected around the NBA than he is. He’s recognized as a talented player, but like Matt Barnes said the other day, ‘KAT’s problem is he’s a cat, not a dog.’”
Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks celebrates his three point shot in the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden
“If KAT comes out and plays with that kind of edge every night, good luck guarding him,” Green added. “When he plays like that, he’s a completely different player.”
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There’s no doubt Towns played with an edge. The 29-year-old put up an impressive stat line with 29 points on 12-of-21 shooting, 12 rebounds, three assists, and a block. He was aggressive, looking to score—and he did. But it wasn’t enough to secure the win.
Meanwhile, the Warriors edged out the Knicks in a tightly contested battle. Green finished with nine points (3-of-9 shooting), four rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block. Despite his struggles from the field, he delivered a clutch layup over Towns, capping off the intense matchup with a moment of satisfaction.
After the NBA game, Green gave credit to Towns, acknowledging the level of physicality he displayed. “It was good to see KAT show up and play like that,” Green said. “He played hard, played well. He was physical—probably the most physical I’ve ever seen him. He had a little extra motivation, which made the game really fun. That was great.”
