“Have to Win to Say Stuff Like That”: Draymond Green Hits Back at Alperen Sengun for Comments About 2025 Playoffs

After a gruelling first-round matchup last season, bad blood seems to remain between the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets. Emotions have settled down since their series ended a few months back. It appears however, that the feud has been reignited following some choice words from Rockets star Alperen Sengun; words Draymond Green hasn’t taken kindly to.

The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets went toe-to-toe in a seven-game series in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. Despite being the lower-seeded seventh seed, Golden State used their experience to overcome the youthful Rockets squad.

Houston’s loss was a great learning curve for their young core. The Rockets’ All-Star big man, Sengun, may have learned the most. But his recent comments have sparked some animosity between the two teams.

“They’re a very experienced team, and they fouled a lot. In the playoffs, they don’t call it. But they were the ones crying all series about fouls not being called,” Sengun said in an interview with Socrates.

Alperen Sengun’s comments were only made a few days ago, yet they have aged terribly. He failed to consider that the Rockets were guilty of doing the exact same thing.

Former Rockets forward Dillon Brooks arguably had even dirtier antics during the playoff series between these teams. Warriors superstar Stephen Curry was playing through an injured thumb and Brooks tried to utilize that to his team’s advantage.

Dillon Brooks tryna take Steph out too pic.twitter.com/cInDGk48ys

— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) April 27, 2025

That play could seem like just a reckless closeout but this contest seems to show Brooks purposefully targeting Curry’s thumb.

Wonder why Brooks was still going at Steph even after the release…

Was he possibly going after his injured right thumb pic.twitter.com/p1QImHCZW2

— WarriorsMuse (@WarriorsMuse) April 27, 2025

This wasn’t Brook’s first controversial experience with the Warriors. The media brought these allegations to his attention, and he didn’t even deny them. “If I had an injured ankle, I would attack that ankle every single time. So, whatever they’re saying on the broadcast, they can keep saying it,” he said.

Sengun’s comments made their way to Warriors star Draymond Green. The four-time NBA champion didn’t hesitate to respond to the 23-year-old big man.

“That’s a tough thing to say after you lose,” Green said on Threads. “You have to win to say stuff like that.”

Green has a reputation for shutting down young players who attempt to speak up toward him before they’ve won anything in the league. Sengun, however, may be able to respond to this with some credibility in upcoming 2025-26 NBA season. Houston has built quite the roster after acquiring Kevin Durant.

The former Warriors star is another piece of the puzzle who has a rocky relationship with Green. This development just means the first matchup between these two teams on November 26 will be must-watch TV.