Warriors: Draymond Green played the long game by upsetting Heat, and it worked

Draymond Green lit a fire inside of the Miami Heat, which was exactly what the Golden State Warriors star did by picking the Boston Celtics to meet his squad in the 2022 NBA Finals.

The Miami Heat certainly responded after Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green picked the Boston Celtics to reach the 2022 NBA Finals over them.

Green went Nostradamus on everyone while celebrating Golden State’s series-clinching Game 5 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on the set of Inside the NBA with the fellas only a few days ago. Boston was up 3-2 in its best-of-seven series out east with a chance to go to the NBA Finals on the line in Game 6 at home. Of course, Miami staved off elimination by winning Game 6, 111-103.

Even if the Warriors end up playing the Celtics in the NBA Finals, Green knew exactly what he was doing on the TV studio set, and it is working out to perfection thus far.

Let’s dive into this next-level genius from Green real quick, shall we?

Draymond Green may have woken up the Miami Heat on purpose?

By lighting a fire inside of the Heat, it helped force a win-or-go-home Game 7 between Miami and Boston on Sunday night. This will allow the Warriors to be even more well-rested by the time the NBA Finals kicks off later this week. Golden State has reached the finals six times in the Steve Kerr era. Miami made it two summers ago in the Orlando bubble. Boston has not made it since 2010.

No doubt about it, Green created bulletin-board material of the low-hanging fruit variety with his comment. Although he may be proven right if Boston beats Miami down in South Florida on Memorial Day weekend, Green may have gotten the last laugh by giving the Heat enough fuel for their fire to at least force a Game 7. Right or wrong, this is all about Green playing the long game.

Regardless of whoever comes out of the Eastern Conference, Golden State will be favored to win the 2022 NBA Finals. The Warriors have home-court advantage and will host Game 1 on Thursday night. It is absolutely deafening inside of Chase Center. But perhaps most importantly, the hall-of-fame core of Steph Curry, Green and Klay Thompson have won three NBA championships already.

After what should be an all-timer of a Game 7, look for the Warriors to be ready to rock in Game 1.