Phoenix Suns assistant coach John Lucas III shared insights on the incident involving Draymond Green striking Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in a recent interview.
During an appearance on the Scoop B Radio Podcast with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Lucas discussed the Suns’ perspective on the altercation.
Lucas expressed his view that such incidents are part of the competitive nature of basketball, noting that they can serve to elevate the intensity of the game.
He remarked, “To me, that’s basketball. That’s playing mind games trying to get underneath your opponent’s skin… Like, I know both of those guys are great — it’s just like the other day Bradley Beal and Anthony Edwards got into it, but that’s normal.”
From Lucas’s perspective, altercations like the one between Green and Nurkic are a natural part of the game, stemming from the competitive spirit ingrained in players from their experiences in hostile environments. He stated, “That’s the competitive side. That’s basketball. It’s no harm. It’s nothing.”
The Suns coach emphasized that while there may be pushing and shoving, it ultimately reflects the players’ determination to prove themselves on the court. Lucas remarked, “I like there to be a little bit of altercations like that in the game because I know it ain’t going to go further than that.”
Lucas believes that confrontations like this can ignite players and increase the level of competition, ultimately leading to a more intense and spirited contest.
He noted, “It actually turns the intensity up. It’s a different game now with a lot more different rules but at the end of the day, when you get that you know you’re going to get the best of that person and they have to back that up.”
