Draymond Green Blasts Cleveland Cavaliers for Lack of Leadership
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green criticized the Cleveland Cavaliers for what he perceives as a lack of leadership in their locker room.
The Cavs are down 0-3 to the New York Knicks in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals after the Knicks won Game 3 by a score of 121-108 on the road on May 23. No NBA team has ever come back from a 0-3 hole in the NBA playoffs, so history suggests the Cavs' season is essentially over, as a comeback from this sort of deficit is nearly impossible in the NBA.
Following the game, Green blasted the Cavs for their lack of leadership during a guest appearance on ESPN's Inside the NBA.
There's no leadership."
"Nobody from Cleveland is stepping up. There's no leadership. Who's walking in that locker room saying what you have to do, what we need to do?" Green said.
The Cavs Need a Historic Comeback to Win This Series
History is not looking down kindly on the Cavaliers right now. In NBA history, there have been 161 teams that have gone down 0-3 in the playoffs, and all 161 of these teams did not advance to the next round.
In the NBA, it is basically impossible to come back from a 0-3 hole, which is unlike hockey, where it has successfully happened four times. In the NHL, 208 teams have gone down 0-3, with four teams coming back to win their series. In baseball, it's also happened one time out of 34, with the Boston Red Sox beating the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS.
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Essentially, the Cavs are in huge trouble, as they are extremely unlikely to win if history repeats itself. In saying that, there will surely be a time in NBA history where a team does come back from a 0-3 hole to win. But it would be downright shocking if it were in this series, as the Knicks just seem to have Cleveland's number.
Based on how the first three games of this series have gone, not only would it be surprising to see the Cavaliers come back and win, but it would be a surprise if they won even one game at all, as the Knicks are the far superior team in essentially every aspect of the game.
Related: Charles Barkley Trashes Cavs After 'Choke Job' Loss to Knicks
This Knicks Team is a Wagon
After winning Game 3, the Knicks improved to 11-2 in this year's NBA playoffs, with their only two losses coming by one point each against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round.
The Knicks won that series 4-2, then swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round, and now appear to be on the verge of another sweep against the Cavaliers. They need just one more win to advance to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, where they will take on either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs in the finals.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst recently praised the "certified powerhouse" Knicks, saying that "this is an all-time great Knicks team," and he seems to be right. Everything that Knicks head coach Mike Brown seems to be doing is working, as all 15 of their players have bought into the message.
Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson is leading the way, but Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, and the rest of the Knicks' crew are also doing their part. They are a well-oiled machine right now and appear to be a serious contender to win the NBA Championship this year.
Related: Brian Windhorst Praises 'Powerhouse' New York Knicks
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This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 6:19 AM.