How One Play Ignited Rivalry Between Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors

LeBron James downplayed claims the two teams are rivals, but Draymond Green's flagrant foul sent a different message

On the off chance that it appears like just yesterday when LeBron James was making light of any discussion of a competition between his guarding champion Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors, a group the Cavs have confronted in the NBA Finals in the course of the most recent two years, this is on account of it was simply yesterday. 

"I don't think we have an adversary in our diversion today," a year ago's Finals MVP told the media. "We've had two awesome Finals appearances the most recent two years, yet I had the same with San Antonio when I was in Miami. We weren't adversaries. Furthermore, I think I played those folks all the more, so I wouldn't take a gander at it as adversaries." 

Draymond Green of the Warriors, then again, trusts the two groups unquestionably have something going. What's more, after his group beat up on Cleveland, 126-91 at Oracle Arena, Green spoke somewhat about it. 

"It's unquestionably fun. A group that you beat, beat you, it's certainly fun. On the off chance that you take a gander at the most recent two years and this year, we've been the main two groups in the class every year, thus I take a gander at it as a competition, and it's unquestionably a fun amusement to play in." 

It won't not be an unexpected that James and Green have distinctive perspectives about whether Cleveland and Golden State are occupied with an opposition for the ages, yet one play including the two may have set the tone for whatever remains of the season for the two groups who many accept will meet for a third time in the Finals this year. 

It occurred amidst the second quarter. Green was attempting to cut off James who was grabbing steam close half court when Green's shoulder slammed into James' trunk, practically like a hockey check or a clothline. The Cleveland whiz tumbled to the floor quickly and Green was evaluated an outrageous foul while words were traded between players from both groups. Some trust James played it savvy and exacerbated it look than it was, and after the diversion, both players attempted to make light existing apart from everything else. Brilliant Sate mentor Steve Kerr likewise presented a nuanced perspective, saying, "Clearly, he went down hard and sold it entirely well. Be that as it may, when I take a gander at the replay, I may think, 'Gracious better believe it, that was unquestionably an outrageous.' But I haven't seen it, so it's hard to evaluate, however [James'] an entirely huge, solid person." Yet any play that way, particularly when it's amongst Green and James, will presumably be deciphered as some kind of message from the Warriors. Green is known for his physical, some of the time "messy" play. James is the best player on the planet. It's troublesome not to peruse into that. 

While everyone was attempting to play legislative issues after the amusement, the reality remains that, nearing the All-Star break with both groups at the highest point of their gatherings, a play like that could reverberate. Regardless of whether James still needs to concede that the best two groups in the NBA have a competition going doesn't generally make a difference any longer. An amusement amidst January that saw a heightening in physical play, and furthermore observed Golden State even the score after the Cavs took the principal session of the season in Cleveland on Christmas, is verification that the NBA has its best contention going in years. What's more, if the previous evening's last meeting between Golden State and the safeguarding champs for the standard season is any sign, another Finals between the two would be exceptionally intriguing. The players know each other extremely well, and even with the expansion of Kevin Durant to the Warriors lineup, Cleveland could exceptionally well still beat the competition at last. It's in no way, shape or form an inevitable end product. 

In all actuality it's difficult to call the most recent two years anything besides a competition, and one that will be associated with quite a while to come like the Lakers and Celtics or Bulls and Pistons. However, If James is correct and the players on the main two groups in the NBA didn't think of each as different adversaries 24 hours prior, then one hard foul could have changed the greater part of that.