The Golden State Warriors-Houston Rockets series has been one of the chippiest first-round playoff matchups so far, but given that the series features the likes of Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks, are NBA fans really all that surprised?
The Rockets evened the series in a feisty Game 2 that saw Warriors star Jimmy Butler exit early due to a pelvic contusion after a scary fall. The video of Butler's fall has fans divided over who's at fault, with the Golden State faithful believing Amen Thompson made a dirty play while Houston supporters believe Green was the one who pushed Thompson into Butler.
Brooks was asked about the incident in Friday's media availability, and it's no surprise what side he was on. The Rockets guard took it one step further by calling Green the "dirty player" in the situation:
"I think the dirty player is Draymond giving [Thompson] a little push," Brooks said. "That's what regular basketball players do, and Jimmy's flying in there for a rebound and stuff happens. Amen [doesn't have] anything to do with being a dirty player, and you know, we're not worried about that. We're onto the next game, and we hope Jimmy can get better."
There’s been a narrative floating around that Amen Thompson is a dirty player following the play that resulted in Jimmy Butler’s injury.
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) April 25, 2025
Asked Dillon Brooks about it:
“I think the dirty player is Draymond giving him a little push… We hope Jimmy can get better.” pic.twitter.com/8JlkMX5vch
The refs handed out six technicals in total in the Rockets' 109-94 win, and Green and Brooks got into their fair share of on-court scuffles throughout the contest. Green's and Brooks's reputations precede them as two of the most notorious villains in the NBA, and the two are set to lock horns once again in Game 3 in San Francisco on Saturday night.
As for the Butler fall, a slo-mo replay seemed to show that Green was merely trying to box out Thompson on a defensive rebound. Thompson appeared to get his legs caught up behind Green and Rockets teammate Steven Adams, causing him to stumble forward and take his momentum into Butler who had just jumped for the ball. Butler's status for Game 3 is questionable as he is currently dealing with a "deep glute muscle contusion."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rockets’ Dillon Brooks Takes Shot at ‘Dirty’ Draymond Green Over Jimmy Butler Injury.
