Draymond Green Excited About Facing Close Friend LeBron James in the Playoffs

• Draymond Green is looking forward to facing LeBron James in the playoffs again but had a warning
• The Warriors veteran and the Lakers' veteran are close friends now but were fierce rivals before that
• The two sides face off in the semi-finals of the NBA playoffs, their first playoff meeting since 1991

Before their close friendship, Draymond Green and LeBron James were fierce rivals on the court during the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers' rivalry from 2015 to 2018.

The Warriors came out on top three times, while James won once (2016). For the first time since Game 4 of the 2018 NBA Finals, James faces Green, Stephen Curry, and the Warriors as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs.

James has faced the Warriors in some of the best games in the playoffs in the last few years. The Warriors beat the veteran and the Cavaliers in 2015 to win their first NBA title in 40 years.

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The following season was dramatic and historic in many ways.

The Warriors won an NBA record 73 games and had to come back from 3-1 down in the Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City Thunder to make the 2016 NBA Finals. They raced to a 3-1 series lead in the finals, before suffering an almighty collapse.

Green was suspended for Game 5 for accumulating flagrant fouls, including hitting James in the groin. The Cavaliers won game 5 and three straight games to seal Cleveland's first and only NBA title.

The Warriors bounced back in 2017 and 2018 with Kevin Durant.

Despite the competition on the court, Green and James have become good friends. They share an agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.

This time around, one will have to leave the playoffs early, per the Athletic.

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Green on facing James

The veteran Warriors forward is happy to face his friend on the court.

“So, that’ll be cool. It’ll be a different experience. But, to have the opportunity to compete against each other, all of our brothers, friends, will be there. You don’t get those times often," Green said, via Andscape.

The last time Green faced James was in the 2021 Play-In tournament, in which the Warriors lost 103-100. The Golden State star added he hasn't spoken to the Lakers star about their playoff matchup.

“What’s there to start to talk about? I don’t talk to people during the playoffs.”

The 33-year-old also sent a warning to James ahead of their matchup:

"At that time, you want to take his head off. By the way, the 2023 series won’t be no different. We want to take his head off."

Playoff history: Curry vs. James

Sports Brief also looked at the playoff between James and Curry and their numerous face-offs in the NBA.

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The two players have dominated the league for the last decade, for the Warriors and Cavaliers respectively.

In the five playoff series Los Angeles and Cleveland have played against each other, Curry leads them 3-1.