Draymond Green calls Jusuf Nurkic 'a coward' for comments after Suns-Warriors game

Draymond Green was far from done talking about Jusuf Nurkic on Tuesday.

On “The Draymond Green Podcast,” he unloaded on Nurkic for comments the Suns big made following Saturday’s game at Golden State, in which he said the Warriors forward hasn’t changed since the incident between the two in a Dec. 12 game in Phoenix and subsequent suspension.

“The little guy went into the media complaining like I did something to him as if he didn’t do the ‘too small’ celebration and then he starts to question my character,” Green said about Nurkic. “What a coward. You go questioning character about a basketball game you just lost that you got destroyed in. The only thing you should talk about his how you got punished.”

Nurkic responded on X (formerly Twitter) with a dig capped with a laughing face with tears of joy emoji.

“All good bad boy just don’t stay to long on podcast, gonna be late for therapy session,” Nurkic posted, a reference to Green receiving counseling during his 12-game suspension.

Nurkic said Green doesn’t deserve a second chance following Saturday’s 113-112 Golden State win over Phoenix at Chase Center in San Francisco, a game in which the two had a few chippy exchanges.

More: 'He don't deserve a chance': Jusuf Nurkic criticizes Draymond Green after Suns loss to Warriors

“It's sad,” Nurkic said after the game. “He didn't learn anything, man. Just a matter of time. He's going to knock somebody else again. Take everything back what I said. He don't deserve a chance."

Nurkic was asked what makes him think Green hasn’t changed.

“Just his antics,” Nurkic said. “Try to hit people. The stuff he shouldn’t do, but I don’t care. At the end of the day, he tried to play that way. No one is worried about him. They got the win tonight. We’ll see what happens in a few games.”

Green had apologized after the December game for hitting Nurkic in the face, saying he didn’t mean to do it and he was trying to sell a foul call. Nurkic said Green needed help, but still had respect for him for being a four-time NBA champion and future Hall of Famer.

The NBA imposed an indefinite suspension on Green that turned out to be 12 games.

More: 'Brother needs help': Jusuf Nurkic responds to Draymond Green punch, ejection in Suns win

Fast forward to Saturday’s game and the two got into a stare down after Green was called for a foul on a Nurkic postup. They exchanged words, were separated, but kept playing each other physically as Green drew an offensive charge on Nurkic seconds after their square off.

Then in the second half, the 7-footer Nurkic scored over the 6-8 Green, did the “too small” sign and slapped the floor. Green later scored on him and slapped the floor.

After the game, Nurkic said Green hadn’t changed and he’s taking back everything he said about him.

Green on Tuesday also addressed what he said to Kevin Durant after the final play of the Saturday game, in which Durant was unable to get off a shot with Green defending him on an inbounds pass with 0.6 left in regulation.

Green screamed at Durant after the final buzzer as Durant walked off shaking his head with a smirk.

“You can read lips,” Durant said when asked what Green said to him. “I guess he’s saying it’s me, like don’t go at him late in a game like that, but just pumping himself up. That’s what he does. Like I said, 0.6 seconds, it was all in his favor. Like he’s going to make a good play there. It’s tough for the offense to get anything off in that time. Hats off to him, that’s his game.”

Green said he screamed “this is me, it’s me” at Durant, but declined the “other word” he aimed at his former Warriors teammate.

“That’s a spur of the moment type of thing,” Green said. “You’re in the game, words come out, but this is me. I do this, been doing this, going to keep doing this, which is the same thing I said in that Clippers game years ago.”

More: 'Insane to see': Kevin Durant addresses Draymond Green hitting Jusuf Nurkic, NBA's indefinite suspension

The usually fiery Green said he had some “built up tension” going at Durant after Durant’s comments towards him about hitting Nurkic back in December that led to an ejection and indefinite suspension that lasted 12 games.

“You’re going to question somebody’s character, you got my phone number,” Green said. “If you thought I hoped I get the help that I need, you got my phone number. Hit me and say that.”

Green talked about the final play Saturday, in which he felt there was “marginal contact” and that his arms were vertical when Durant made the catch, but this was all part of him criticizing Durant and Nurkic for questioning his character.

“Guys are making a habit out of that,” Green said on the podcast. “Him and Kevin questioned my character before as if you’re going to question somebody’s character by the basketball game as if it’s not a real-life and it doesn’t affect people’s pockets, like,'' he said.

"I think all of it was really cowardly, if you want my honest opinion. I did what I did , I take my stuff on the chin. I spoke about that. I still stand on that, I meant every word I said about it, but if you want to know the truth about that, I think all of it was cowardly. You go and start questioning somebody character in front of the whole world? It’s wack. So I think they’re all wack, both of them, if you want my honest opinion.”

"All the talk, Draymond was in his head. Plain and simple," said Warriors All-Star guard Stephen Curry, who hit the game-winning 3 with 0.7 seconds left.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Warriors Draymond Green unleashes, calls Suns Jusuf Nurkic 'a coward'