History That Doesn't Suck - Introducing: The Draymond Green Show

Episode Date: May 30, 2026

A new HTDS episode arrives Monday, June 8th. Meanwhile, four-time NBA Champion and All-star, Draymond Green breaks down his biggest takeaways from the Spurs/Thunder 2026 NBA playoff series so far. Then, he gives full preview of the May 30th Game 7 including key matchups to watch, who has more at stake, the SGA "Foul Baiting" discussion, and more. Finally, he wraps things up by giving his Sling Shots of the Night. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, basketball fans. While you're waiting for the next episode, here's a new show from our network partner, Odyssey. The next HDDS episode is coming Monday, June 8th. It will be covering the internment of Japanese Americans, from pre-war tensions and context to legal challenges to the camps in 1944. Until then, enjoy this new show just in time for the NBA finals. What's up, everybody? Welcome back to the Draymond Green Show. On today's show, the best two words in sports is game seven. I'll break down what I've seen in this series up to this point, some thoughts on this series, and obviously a prediction for Game 7. With nothing else going on in the NBA, let's get ready to it. This series has been interesting because the storylines from this series has been,

oh, man, they're pushing Wimby too much to, oh, man, Shay's flopping too much, to, oh, man, the referees are calling too many files for Shay. Oh, man, Shea's falling too much. And what has not really been appreciated is the level of play on the floor, the elite level of play that Shea Gilgis Alexander brings to the court. The elite level, Steph Curry-like play that Victor Wimbionma, or Steph Curry-like excitement that Victor Wimbi Yama brings to the floor where you're watching the game,

and at any moment when you're not watching that game, you can miss, like, one of the most insane things that you've ever seen a player do, a laah, Steph Curry, when you're watching Victor Wimbayama. And it's ironic that none of the conversation has been about that. Or the play of Dylan Harper, who's a rookie, and just keep finding a way. And yeah, he's had a couple bad games,

but he keep finding the way. Or the elite-level defense of Stefan Castle. Elite-level defense, I say it again, of Stefan Castle. The Stefan Castle's turning the ball over too much to two games in a row of one turnover. Why are we not talking about these things? Because sports media sucks. It's awful. No one talks basketball anymore.

But no one knows basketball anymore because it's just moving too fast, huh? Everything's moving too fast. And so we want to pinpoint the thing that we can slow down. Shea's falling. Shea's at the free throw line. Everybody's complaining about She getting too many foul calls. And going into game six, She had shot five more free throws on the series than Wimby.

but the whole complaint is Shea's getting too many foul calls. I don't understand it. Ah, man, he's file-baiting. Shea, what I will say is, you've reached a new level of greatness, my man. Congratulations. Your hard work is paid off. You've reached a new level of greatness

because you have sports media heads coming out and talking about what they don't like about your greatness. Imagine that. You got people coming out talking about what they don't like about your greatness. That's incredible. As if Shay Gilges Alexander is running up and down the court with the whistle in his mouth, calling the file for himself.

That's what we're going to act like. We're going to act like this man has on a zebra shirt, and he's blowing the whistle for himself. or we can just act like the complete integrity of the NBA is all off and they just calling files for Shea Gilles, Alexander. The NBA ain't got no integrity. They just calling files for one guy. Fortunately, that theory doesn't work

because the other guy, the main guy on the other side, going into game six, has shot five less free throws when all the complaint was happening. That's why I'm saying before game six. Imagine that. So that theory don't work. So maybe we can just appreciate greatness. And what Shea is showing and what he's doing and what he's capable of.

Maybe we can just appreciate the greatness. And if we're going to appreciate the greatness for what it is, then we got to appreciate what Stefan Castle is showing us. Then we got to really appreciate what that young man is showing us. Which is. elite level defense on the back-to-back MVP of the NBA. Now, yes, it's a little bit tougher. J. Dub ain't out there.

Even J. Dub was just out there. J. Dub wasn't out there. A.J. Mitchell ain't out there. It makes things a little tougher on Shay. So give Stefan Castle his credit. Also, let's sit back and identify what's not there, What is there? Why this isn't happening? Why this is happening? Man, when you take your secondary ball handler like Jalen Williams off the floor

against a great team, yes, they've been able to do it all regular season. Yes, they've been able to do it through the playoffs. But now they are playing the second best team in the Western Conference. It catches up to them at times. Then you take your third best ball handler, A.J. Mitchell off the floor. catches up to you. So now all of a sudden, Jared McCain has to handle a little bit more, right?

I don't know that he's best suited handling and creating for himself. Yeah, he gets to it at times, but I don't know that he's best suited, especially not on the road. At home, a little bit more comfortable, a little bit, they're going to bump you a little bit less

because you get the home whistle. That's just how things go, because referees are human, right? So that's just how things go. You get the home whistle, you're going to get a little better whistle. at home, right? So they ain't going to bump you as much. You know, like, so it's easier for Jared McCain at home. Struggles a little bit more on the road to get to different things, right? So

now you take those two secondary ball handlers off and you got more of that. It's tougher, right? It's just a little bit tougher. And so, but again, give Stefan Castle his credit. I don't know why we just can't appreciate what these guys are doing. Everybody got an opinion, but they ain't never did it. Everybody. Hove said it. Everybody wouldn't tell you how to do it. They never did it.

Everybody got an opinion, though. I mean, I've been baffled watching people talk about Shade Gilges of San Francisco. Like, he's just not him. Like, he didn't just win back-to-back MVP's in the NBA, which is the best basketball league in the world by a long shot. there's not a close second basketball league in the world to the NBA. There's not a close second. That's no disrespect to anyone.

That's just a fact. From a money value standpoint, talent, just not a close second. And this guy who's been number one, hands down the last two years, we're really going to try to discredit him and act like it's a close second. all because he flopped. It's all because he drew some files. That's where we really go. You all think the NBA is that easy to where this guy just flops and go to the free throw line

and he becomes like the back-to-back MVP in this league. We're going to really dumb the NBA down to that. That's a shame. It's actually sickening. It's sickening. I have a fine appreciation. for the work Shade Gildes Alexander puts in. And I don't know the work he put in

because I don't see him work every day. But I do know the work he put in because I know to do that again, to be the defending champ, come back, run the MVP back again. I know the work Steph Curry put in. I've seen that for 14 years. And the guy that I seen do that win a championship

and then come back and run it back and win MVP, I know the work I saw him put in. So I got an idea of the work. put us in, and we're just going to dumb that down to a flop and draw in a file, man, stop it. Really? We're really not going to act like this dude can't get a bucket any which way. We're really going to do that. We're really going to act like the NBA is that easy of a place to succeed that he can just fall or flop and get a file call and go to the free throw line, and he's going to be the back-to-back best player in that league two years in a row,

and we're going to act like it's just that. I'm sick of it. I am sick of it. Why, we just can't appreciate these players, man. They're doing it at a high level. I'm enjoying watching it. In Toronto, every arrival is a statement, and nothing says it better than this.

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Wayfair, every style, every home. It's been a little unfortunate. The games ain't been that great. Like, game one was great. Every game after that kind of been to blowout. That's been a little disappointed. But with home teams winning, you know, OKC winning, went and got the one that's the spurs they needed to get.

But it just, if I'm honest, it hasn't been like, like give me some great games, man. Like, I want to see some great games, man. I want to see some great games, some back and forth, some, ah, man, they were struggling with this, they figured it out, and now they're doing this, they adjusted and figured this out. It's been kind of like, oh, man, OKC looked tired tonight. All right, they ain't going to play the fourth.

They're throwing it in. All right. Wimby looked tired tonight. He'd come out not aggressive in the first half. Next night, he energetic. He'd come out aggressive and 16 shots in the first half. Like, yeah, that's the Wimby. y'all going to need to beat them.

It's been more of that. Who's going to come out more aggressive? Yes, that's always the number one adjustment in any NBA series is turn up the pressure, get more aggressive, get more physical. That's always the number one adjustment. Make no mistake about it. But that's kind of just been the tale of this series. And I don't know that it should be that way.

So, now, so then you ask yourself the question, like, that's happening with OKC, right, and they're able to stay in this series, but OKC's kind of down their second and third best player, if you will, maybe second and fourth best player. But you got to play who's on the floor. So I'm not saying that that's San Antonio's fault. Make no mistake about it. That's not San Antonio's fault.

And if they pull off this series, I don't care who is down. You win the series, you got to win who play. So, I'm not, that's not a knock at San Antonio at all. But what it does say to me is that that's where you see the A show up. That's where you see the inexperience show. Now, they're getting through it because, again, they're getting through it for whatever reason they're getting through it. Whether you're a P&A is because they're hurt or not.

They're getting through it. But you have to sit back and wonder like if OKC was healthy could they just put these boys away. Needless to say, it does not matter. But I feel like that's where you start to see the inexperience creep in, right? Because you just can't skip over the process. Like, that's just not how it goes. That's where you see the inexperience start to creep in.

Again, we'll see if they can ultimately close out this series. They've given themselves a chance now. On the flip side, De Aaron Fox missed the first couple games, hasn't quite been himself struggling a bit. You wonder if that's due to the injury? I've seen Fox in the playoffs. Fox is not one to go hide and, you know, he's not one

that struggles with pressure or big moments. Fox ain't that guy. Now, this is the biggest moment of his career as far as he's ever gone, of course, but Fox ain't that guy. Right?

So he's a little banged up as well. It's kind of been a war of attrition. You hate that it turns into that, but it happens in series where you get games every other day. You know, the first round spread out crazy and then all these games start happening every other day.

We saw Cleveland, hadn't had two days off for over a month or so. They were still gone. So, you know, it turns into a war of attrition at times. And right now, San Antonio's kind of winning that battle a bit. You know, She looked a little tired. Now, game seven coming up, Shea's are great. He'll figure it out.

Wimby's kind of been every other game. He gave you everything last game. Can he get it going for this game seven? I expect so because he seemed like somebody who won all that smoke. He won all that smoke. He's shown that can he power through every other game? Durability, right? Like when you're talking about competing and winning in championship,

durability. Can he do that? With these guys, you know, looking tired here and looking tired there, again, I talk about the lack of experience, but one thing I will tell you all is whenever the season ends and in particular on long playoff runs when it ends

like when I'm going through the playoffs honestly I don't feel tired at all when it ends the moment it ends whether it ends in the second round like last year against Minnesota whether it wins with winning in championship like 2022 or multiple other years

or whether it ends in losing in the finals like 2016 or 2019 no matter when it ends, I feel like I got hit by a truck. I mean, it's literally like the, it's just like, boom. And oftentimes for days after, I don't leave and go out of town, I literally just find me a spot for days and just sit there. And oftentimes sit there and just like blank stairs. And I sit there like that because what it boils down to

and what these young guys got to understand is ultimately, everybody's tired. But I don't even allow my mind to process that I'm tired. Like I can't allow my mind to process the thought of being tired because if it processed the thought of being tired, my body is done. I'm hurting. Of course I'm hurting.

It hurts. It hurts to win a championship. It hurts to go through the playoff. I promise you, it hurts. Like, when you see these guys out there falling constant, I promise you they're getting up and going. That's hurt. And so I don't allow my mind to process being tired because my body can't take that.

If my body, if my mind processes, my body is done. So the moment my mind processes, oh, man, it's over. It feels like I got hit by a truck. And I oftentimes for days just sit there and blank stairs and try to gather myself. And I tell everybody around me, and like, yo, how are you? I'm like, I'm awful. Why are you off? I feel like I got hit by a truck

and I don't have a life. What do you mean you don't have a life? Well, for nine months, I've shown up at this place, at this time, every day for nine months, and now it's over, and I have to figure out what I'm now doing with these days.

Yes, I have a family. Yes, I have kids. But again, for nine months, you've had this regimen, and now it's gone. Whether you want it, you lost it, but also, more importantly, I now just processed tired.

And so these young, guys got to understand you can't be tired from game to game in the playoffs you can't allow your mind to process fatigue but then you get hit by the truck after how can working at your local tims take you further sure you can level up your teamwork skills you also get a chance to receive a timhorton scholarship award ready for what's next apply today at careers dot timhorans dot caa Hey, Professor Jackson here. As we approach America's 250th, many may feel our hyper-partisan discord means that the republic is failing,

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Pre-order now from your preferred retailer. Details are at hddspodcast.com slash book. And thank you for supporting HDDS. Now before I let you all know what my prediction is going into Game 7, I will share a few things, just some of the factors that I think going into this Game 7 is extremely important. Home game matters. Right? Because we've seen the difference in the Jared McCain's. We've seen the difference in the Lou Dorts. We've seen the difference in the Chet Holmgrens. We've seen the difference in these guys when they're in Oklahoma and when they're in San Antonio. That matters. That does matter, right? Like, which of these teams' role players are going to play better? Ultimately, OKC's role players and bench has played much better throughout this series.

I expect them also with their experience at home in OKC to play well. Who's healthy, right? Like, diagnosed, you got to make a decision, right? One of the decisions, you see if J. Dub got it. If J. Dub ain't got it, you kind of got to go away. Kind of got to trust the guys that have been doing it because J. Dub ain't played much all year, let alone throughout these playoffs. Game seven, but J. Dub is a champion.

And I believe, although he hasn't played, he's one of those guys. He can muster up something in the game seven. He's been there. That matters when you know how to do it, right? So, but they kind of need to figure that out fast. I don't think this is like, oh, man, we're going into the second half, seeing if he find it in the second half. Not saying he can't, but I just don't know if that's what they want to go with.

when they have guys that are proven, they can still win, right? It's not a situation of like, yo, if he don't play, they don't have no chance. It's a very deep roster. And so ultimately, do you trust the depth, or do you ride out on the same horse that you've been riding in on? Now, again, been hurt, but I think they got to make that decision fast. Rufferies come in and allow this game to be physical. Advantage OKC. Advantage OKC.

OKC has shown that when the physicality is there, they can make San Antonio struggle with it a bit. Victor Wemiyama getting one and two rebounds in the first half. OKC got to come out on that. How the rough's going to call that? I think the rough's going to let the whistles go. You have to. You got to let these guys decide.

It's too big. You got to let these guys decide, right? That's important. Who's making the big adjustment? Diagnall or Johnson. Neither one of them, it don't really matter. This is Game 7. This is Victor Wimbielma

versus Sheailded's Alexander. That's what this is. There's no adjustment in Game 7 of the conference finals. There's no adjustment. There's no adjustment for Game 7 of the conference finals. Right? I think one of the biggest adjustments, that has been made this series is how they regard to SGA,

doubling every single time and crazy doubles from everywhere until like, come on, man, let's play boxes and elbows. Back to the basics. Double every now and then keep them off balance. Right? I think that's been one of the biggest adjustments, but there's no adjustment for game seven from a coach. This is game seven.

This is players. That's what this is about. Who's going to be Nick Young? Game six and six. game seven with big threes and big stops on Shee Gildjus Alexander. With big threes, big buckets, big

rebounds, big stops on Victor Wimbiama. Who going to be that guy? Shee been turning the ball over? More often than usual. OKC turned the ball over last game far more often than usual. Only average 12 turnovers a game all year. Stefan Castle up and down with the turnover.

Some games doing great. Some games real loose with the ball. Who's going to win the turnover battle, every single one of them matters. Every possession matters. This is it. It's game seven. It could be a 90 to 86 score. Every possession matters. Who going to win the turnover battle? And again, it's the biggest game of Victor Wimamma's life. It's the biggest game of his life. Most of what say, oh, no, the gold medal game in Paris. No, it's not. This is the biggest game of his life. Because even if he won that game, it would have done a lot and it would have been incredible

for the country, but it ain't going to stamp him like winning an NBA championship will. It's the biggest game of his life right now against the two-time back-to-back MVP, the defending champs. This is the biggest game of his life. Who going to win that battle? But it's game seven. You got to let it all rip. Game seven, there's no thoughts.

There's no second guess. You shoot. You drunk. You go, the file, who cares? It's game seven. It's game seven. Most crumble. There's some that don't, but most crumble.

Most crumble. I can't wait to see who's going to show up for game seven. And by the way, until you beat the champs, I'm rolling with the champs. Until you dethrone the champs, It ain't up to me to pick against him. It's up to San Antonio to pick against him. That ain't up to me. Now it's time for the Sling Shot of the Night brought to you by Sling TV.

The most flexible live TV streaming service. Watch the NBA playoffs on ESPN with a Sling 1, 3 or 7 day pass starting at 499. Learn more at Sling.com. You knew coming into game 6 that it had to be a Wimby game and he set the tone with two straight threes to start the game. knew his shot was going, he's feeling good, the crowd get into it. That had to be the slingshot of the night. And then I also thought that was what was very important,

and not quite a slingshot, but slingshot, and if you will, Carter Bryan just running into Shea and taking him out. That's intentional, guys. That's a demand from up above. I'm not saying it's coming from, that's coming from above Carter Bryan. And Carter Bryan is saying, I'm a soldier, and I'll take him up. Gotta respect it. But who gonna take him out for OKC?

That's the question I asked. Who gonna take him out? Who gonna take Victor Wemeyamount? If they're gonna take Shea Gildes-Alexander out, you're just gonna watch? That was the Sling shot of the night brought to you by Sling TV. Sling puts the customers in control

with their flexible subscription options. Want to watch one game or even a full series on ESPN? Grab it 1, 3, or seven-day pass starting at $499. If you want to watch as many games as possible, get a monthly subscription. Either way, Sling lets you watch the playoffs your way.

With no learn-term contracts, learn more at sling.com. I want to thank you all again for tuning in to the Dremont Green Show. We'll have a mail-back episode dropping tomorrow. Until next time, do so. If you're rocking with the Dremont Green Show, be sure to click follow on your favorite podcast app. And while you're there, go ahead. and drop a five-star rating and leave a review.

I want to hear what you think, and it would also mean a ton to me if you share it with a friend that you think would enjoy it. Let's keep this thing growing. The Draymond Green Show is presented by Odyssey and executive produced in conjunction with the new media. Our executive producers are Leah Reese Dennis,

Danny Freesinger, and Greg Holtzman. Video production and creative design by Kurt Courtney, Tim Mekyll, Lauren Vieira, and Evan O'Brien. Special thanks to the team, at the new media and the team at Odyssey. Mora Curran, Josephina Francis,

Hillary Shuff, Eric Donnelly, Kate Rose, Colin Gaynor, and Jake Galley.