It’s rare to have true controversy and animosity among certain players in today’s NBA. The era lorded over by LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant is one anchored by mutual respect if not friendship among the game’s brightest stars while they maintain clean images off the court.

The Grizzlies’ matchup with the Warriors features the two biggest exceptions to that trend in today’s NBA. Grizzlies star Ja Morant went from possible future face of the league to the recipient of a 25-game suspension to begin the 2023-24 season thanks to multiple gun-related incidents. Earlier this month, Morant was fined after repeated shooting gestures while celebrating made shots during games, including in a game against the Warriors on April 1. Morant’s response was to switch to a celebration where he mimicked throwing a grenade.

Warriors veteran Draymond Green is a four-time NBA Finals winner and borderline Hall of Famer, but his violent streak in recent years consumed his reputation to the point that he was parodied on “Saturday Night Live” months after punching then-teammate Jordan Poole in the face during a preseason practice.

Green, it should be noted, has gone over a year without a violent incident following his 12-game suspension at the end of 2023 for striking Jusuf Nurkic in the face. But he’s still got plenty of brashness, as evidenced when he boldly predicted during TNT’s NBA All-Star Game coverage that the Warriors would win the NBA Finals this season shortly after Golden State acquired Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline. The journey to backing up those words starts tonight against Morant’s Grizzlies.