Jusuf Nurkic and Draymond Green‘s beef continues to simmer on social media. The Phoenix Suns star recently poked fun at the Golden State Warriors veteran for a scary moment during Steph Curry and the team’s narrow 130-125 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
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Midway through the third quarter, Green was battling Clippers center Ivica Zubac for an offensive rebound underneath the rim when he took an accidental but vicious elbow to the chin and collapsed to the floor, clutching his face. The referees did not spot the elbow, and play continued for over 30 seconds while he was still lying on the floor.
Draymond went to the locker room after taking an elbow to the face pic.twitter.com/beV68Dlncy
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 15, 2024
The Warriors took a timeout to let their medical staff have a look at Green, who got up gingerly and went back to the locker room to get evaluated for a concussion. The Warriors forward cleared the tests and returned to the game.
Nurkic trolled Green for not getting up immediately after getting elbowed in the face with a GIF featuring Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby saying,
“You’re getting soft brother.”
https://t.co/CkSmQ5cg4M pic.twitter.com/uFuC5UC0M8
— Jusuf Nurkić (@bosnianbeast27) February 15, 2024
Nurkic and Draymond have been going back and forth on social media since the two teams faced off on Monday. The duo have disdain for each other. Unfortunately, they won’t get to settle their differences on the court since the season series between the Suns and the Warriors is over. However, if the two teams meet in the playoffs, expect the two to get into a skirmish at some point during the series.
Jusuf Nurkic and Draymond Green’s beef history
On December 16th, Draymond Green was ejected against the Suns after elbowing Jusuf Nurkic in the face and was later slapped with an indefinite suspension, which saw the Warriors forward miss 16 games. In the post-game press conference, the Suns star did not mince words, saying,
“What’s going on with him? I don’t know. Personally, I feel like that brother needs help. I’m glad he didn’t try to choke me. At the same time, it ain’t nothing to do with basketball.”
“Personally, I feel like that brother needs help.”
Jusuf Nurkić responded after taking a punch from Draymond Green.
Wow! @NBA pic.twitter.com/HMvHwxH9RY
— BH Live (@BHlive_official) December 13, 2023
Green did not forget Nurkic’s comments and the two exchanged words and hit each other with the “too small” celebration during the Suns’ narrow loss to the Warriors last Saturday.
In a post-game interview, Nurkic dissed Green, saying,
“It’s sad. 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.”
“It’s sad. He didn’t learn anything. Just a matter of time. He’s going to hit somebody else again. Take back everything I said. He don’t deserve a chance.”
Jusuf Nurkic on Draymond Green, who got suspended after hitting him in face Dec. 12.
“Antics. Try to hit people.” #Suns pic.twitter.com/fEF2hLJuyS
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 11, 2024
Green responded to Nurkic on his podcast. He addressed the Suns star’s comments from December and after the loss on Sunday on the Draymond Green Show, saying,
“If you want to know the truth about that, I think all of it was really cowardly. … I think they all wack, both of them if you want my honest opinion… Quite frankly, I would love to know why is it only a matter of time before I hit someone else. Because I destroyed him? Because what in that game that happened with me would make you say something like that other than getting embarrassed because you’re just not good enough.”
Draymond Green roasts Jusuf Nurkic
( @TheVolumeSports) pic.twitter.com/PGOCMaNR5v
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 13, 2024
Nurkic did not back down and took a personal jibe at Green on social media, writing,
“All good, bad boy. Just don’t stay to long on podcast, gonna be late for therapy session.”
All good bad boy just don’t stay to long on podcast, gonna be late for therapy session.
— Jusuf Nurkić (@bosnianbeast27) February 13, 2024
Green responded by calling him a “300-pound softy that can’t finish games” and plugged the link to the latest episode of his podcast.
Tap IN! Spoke in depth about the 300 pound softy that can’t finish games. Enjoy#TheNewMediahttps://t.co/D4l0qeEo5v https://t.co/OB5SGEqgPA
— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) February 13, 2024
After Nurkic’s latest jibe, it’s clear that neither player is willing to bury the hatchet. Green has yet to respond to the Suns star calling him soft, but there’s no doubt he will have something to say on social media or the next episode of his podcast.