Draymond Green’s importance to Warriors on full display in playoffs

LeBron James is starting a basketball-centric podcast with J.J. Redick called “Mind the Game.”

The duo is producing the new venture with their two companies, James’ Uninterrupted and Redick’s ThreeFourTwo Productions.

“I’m really proud of what we’ve done to innovate in sports media,” James said in a statement to The Athletic. “… When I do a project, the only thing I think about is whether me and my friends would watch it. That is definitely the case with ‘Mind the Game.’ Everything doesn’t need to be designed for internet culture and clicks.”

The concept of the program is meant to be a departure from talk shows like ESPN’s “First Take,” where Redick is a contributor.

“It’s meant to be a very free-flowing conversation about the sport and about the game,” Redick said in a phone interview. “If you look at it in a very simplistic way, it’s just about basketball.”

Jimmy Butler has been ruled out for Game 3 against the Houston Rockets due to a deep glute muscle contusion as he continues to deal with “significant swelling.”

Jonathan Kuminga is set to start in his place. Quinten Post will also start for the Warriors alongside Draymond Green and Kuminga.

“He basically has no mobility and it’s not just about playing through pain or taking painkilling shots,” said Shams Charania. “He literally cannot move well enough to play basketball tonight for the Warriors. And, remember, this is someone that has played through a grade 2 MCL spring for three quarters last season in the playoffs. The Warriors are now hopeful for Game 4 on Monday potentially for Jimmy Butler to actually play.”