A series involving Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks was never going to disappoint in terms of fireworks and controversy. And neither one has disappointed.
Green was in the middle of the action all throughout Game 4 as the Golden State Warriors beat the Houston Rockets to take a 3-1 lead in the first round Western Conference playoff series.
Now the attention has turned to Brooks, specifically with how aggressively he is guarding Steph Curry and his injured right thumb. Curry’s thumb has been taped as he has played through an injury throughout most of the second half of the season.
And with Brooks contesting jump shots and making contact with Curry’s hand and thumb, Warriors announcers Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike made multiple comments during their Game 5 defeat that it was intentional.
“This happened in Game 4 a couple times. They are targeting Curry’s thumb. The whack on the right hand, that happened multiple times. They know he’s been injured there,” Fitzgerald said in the first quarter.
After a tight Brooks shot contest in the second quarter, Fitzgerald again let loose on the Rockets guard.
“You can look at the last two games. Every time Steph launches a three and Dillon Brooks is near him he is whacking his right hand. Every single time. And he is doing it with an intent that something may happen to Curry’s injured thumb,” Fitzgerald said once more just before halftime.
When asked after the game about whether or not he is targeting Curry’s taped thumb because of the comments from Fitzgerald, Brooks didn’t deny it.
Dillon Brooks isn’t doing anything technically against the rules by going into Curry’s hand after he shoots. Even Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted that there’s nothing the team can do about it. And in a physical sport, anyone that goes out onto the field of competition with a taped injury knows that they’ve placed a bullseye on themselves.
Fitzgerald and Azubuike ranked dead last in this year’s NBA announcer rankings for the second consecutive season and have developed a reputation as one of the biggest homer broadcast booths in the league. However, this time, they may actually have a point as much as it may seem like it’s coming off as sour grapes for something that is legal.
The Warriors will try to win the series at home in Game 6 and if history and recent events are any indication given the personalities involved, it should be explosive.