The last time the Houston Rockets faced the Golden State Warriors, fans witnessed a physical and emotionally charged encounter between Alperen Sengun and Draymond Green. That same intensity carried over into Game 1 of the playoffs, where Golden State pulled off a 95-85 win.
The tension reached its peak in the fourth quarter. With the Warriors trailing 84-75, Green was whistled for a call by the officials, and his frustration was hard to miss.
At that very moment, Sengun stepped toward him, and the two exchanged fiery glares while pushing each other. Thankfully, referees quickly stepped in before the situation escalated further.
Draymond HATES Sengun 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/lWIBXfg3RZ
— BricksCenter (@BricksCenter) April 21, 2025
From the opening tip, all eyes were on the Sengun-Green game. Sengun made an early statement with a thunderous one-handed dunk over Green. He dominated with a team-high 26 points, adding nine rebounds and an assist to lead the Rockets to victory.
In contrast, Green struggled to make an offensive impact. He finished with just four points, though he managed six rebounds and three assists in his 36 minutes on the court.
Alperen Sengun Speaks On Draymond Green Before Heated Game 1
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Before Game 1, Sengun spoke about his excitement over facing Green. The Rockets’ star called it a learning opportunity.
“I like the matchup. I’m going to learn a lot of things from that matchup. He has a lot of experience; he’s one of those legendary players on that team, so I’m so excited to play against him. It’s going to be hard, but I’m going to learn a lot, and I’m just going to need to answer him back,” Sengun said.
Green got the first laugh in the playoff series. The night even started on a good note for Green. Just before tip-off, he was announced as a finalist for the 2024-25 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
