TENSIONS RISE IN NBA FINALS
Draymond Green had steered clear of trouble this time.
But this was Cleveland — again. This was Game 4 of the NBA Finals — again. And so with the Golden State Warriors hoping their Friday night would end with champagne showers like it had here two years ago, it was Draymond- vu all over again.
But the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 137- 116 win that forced Game 5 at Oracle Arena on Monday will be remembered for much more than the ejection/ non- ejection fiasco that was one of many officiating black eyes on the night. And Green, whose Game 5 suspension in 2016 was the turning point of the Warriors’ unprecedented collapse from a 3- 1 lead after he swiped at LeBron James’ crotch in Game 4, was hardly alone when it came to hijinks.
Kevin Durant vs. Dahntay Jones was one thing.
Midway through the second quarter, with the Cavs up 60- 46 and well on their way to an 86- 68 lead at halftime, the Warriors star had a verbal back and forth with the Cavs reserve guard who has played 34 combined minutes in 17 playoff games. Jones, per his norm, was on the bench at the time and was given a technical foul.
It was a costly move for the 36- yearold, who was signed to a minimum salary contract just before the playoffs and who has made a habit of this of late. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the out- of- pocket price for Jones’ playoff fines ($ 9,000) is now nearly as much as the lump sum of his prorated earnings ($ 9,127).
But when it comes to a war of words on the game’s biggest stage, Durant vs. James was on a whole different level. Midway through the third quarter, after Durant was hit on the head by the Cavs’ Kevin Love in what was deemed a flagrant foul, Durant went out of his way to be heard on the matter amid several Cavs players. Eventually, Durant and James squared off to discuss the matter.
“We weren’t coming to blows; we were just talking,” Durant said. “That’s a part of basketball. The game of basketball created that. The refs didn’t. We didn’t as players. It’s like the aura of the game created trash talk and just communication out there. So I know you could take away the physical part of the game as far as controlling stuff, but emotionally that should be us, that should be what the players have as their own out there.”
Durant tried to downplay it, but the fact that two Warriors security guards made their way to midcourt to intervene was evidence enough that the situation escalated.
“I’m sure it’s going to continue,” Durant said of the intense emotion. “There’s nothing malicious or we didn’t say anything malicious, it was just a part of the game. Emotions are what keeps this game alive, it keeps it going. It’s for the players.”
In terms of one- liners, nobody threw more fuel on the fire than Green.
When asked about what he heard from the P. A. announcer in the first quarter when everyone believed the technical foul was on him, as opposed to Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Green said, “I don’t pay much attention. I don’t pay much attention to anybody in Cleveland, honestly. Don’t seem to be the sharpest people around. So whatever.”
Cue the Cavs fans, who now want nothing more than to see Green again in Game 6 to share their views on his soundbite. The “Draymond sucks” chants that were there in Game 3 and 4, it’s safe to assume, would be child’s play by comparison.