Durant return doesn’t last long
OAKLAND » Kevin Durant and Draymond Green finally gave the Warriors an All-Star presence, but that pairing quickly ended because of an emotional outburst that led to an ejection.
Surprisingly, it was not Green who drew the officials’ ire enough to get tossed in theWarriors’ 116107 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday at Oracle Arena. It was Durant who received his league-leading fifth ejection with 2.4 seconds left in the first half.
“It happens when you let your emotions get into it. I wish I could finish the game out,” Durant said. “But I’ll be in practice (Friday) and be ready for the next
game” on Saturday in Sacramento.
The point of contention: Durant drove toward the basket before encountering three Bucks players, attempted a left-handed layup and fell on the ground after he believed he absorbed contact. No call. Durant then slapped his hands on the floor in frustration.
Then, Durant stood up, walked toward official Tre Maddox and expressed his displeasure. Maddox promptly tossed Durant. Warriors security officials soon intervened, prompting Durant to leave through the entrance tunnel. Durant, who has 14 technicals this season, is two away from drawing a league-imposed one-game suspension without pay with seven games remaining.
“It’s usually just bad calls I’m protesting. Is it a character flaw to get thrown out of the games? I hope not,” Durant said. “It’s mainly foul calls they get wrong, and I let them know about it. They don’t like how I say it. I get tossed and definitely could talk to them a little better, I guess.”
According to the crew chief Bill Kennedy, Durant could. Kennedy told a pool reporter that Durant received his first technical because of a “vulgarity.” Kennedy said Maddox “started to walk away and the vulgarity escalated,” resulting in a second technical and subsequent ejection. As Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, “I think he said the magic word.”
“Kevin just had a moment. He’s frustrated,” Kerr said. “He went to the rim three times and should’ve had three different fouls. I thought he was frustrated anyway because the game wasn’t going well for him. So he snapped.”
So much for the excitement surrounding Durant’s return after missing the past five games because of a rib injury. He had 10 points on 4- of-10 shooting in 17 minutes and played the entire first quarter. That coincided with the Warriors (54-21) officially losing out on the No. 1 seed behind the Houston Rockets (61-14) after losing their third consecutive game for the first time this season.
“I was feeling good out there and feeling things out. I definitely wanted to finish the game,” Durant said. “That’s where I’m more upset. I didn’t finish the game, and I wanted to play.”
Green also appeared close at times in receiving an ejection after expressing displeasure with calls, but officials kept their whistles silent. Green only needs one more technical before receiving a one-game suspension without pay.
So instead, Green handled other challenges. After missing the past three games with an overlapping injury ( pelvic contusion) and illness (flu), Green finished with 11 points on 4- of-7 shooting, six assists and five rebounds in 28 minutes. He also assumed ball-handling duties with Stephen Curry sidelined. Though he played with intensity, Green also appeared winded.
“I liked his energy,” Kerr said of Green. “The game didn’t quite go his way. But I liked how he played. I liked how he competed.”
Green did not speak to reporters afterwards, but he suggested beforehand conditioning could become an issue.
“I don’t know if I’ve got my lungs and all of that,” Green said. “But that’ll come back quick. I’ll be fine.”
Just as the Warriors’ star players were getting their wind back, another key player became injured. Warriors forward Andre Iguodala sat for all the fourth quarter after experiencing left knee soreness. He limped after absorbing contact following a drive to the basket late in the third quarter.
The 34-year- old Iguodala has experienced various injuries, including a sprained wrist, strained back and knee issues. Kerr said Iguodala will probably sit on Saturday in Sacramento.
And then there was the game itself, which broke away after the Bucks closed the first half on an 11-0 run.
Milwaukee then outscored the Warriors 34-23 in the third quarter. The Warriors still had plenty of balance with Quinn Cook (career- high 30 points), Patrick McCaw (12) and JaVale McGee (12). But the Warriors were both sloppy (19 turnovers) and undisci- plined (allowing 56 points in the paint). The Bucks (40- 35) had four players crack double figures in Giannis Antetokounmpo (32 points), Khris Middleton (23), Eric Bledsoe (20) and Jabari Parker (14).
Yet, the Warriors will have more help soon.
Kerr said that there is a chance that All- Star Klay Thompson will play on Saturday in Sacramento after nursing a fractured right thumb for the past 18 days. If not, Thompson is likely to play on Sunday against Phoenix at Oracle Arena.
Thompson has spent the past week practicing with both his left and right hand. But he has still worn a bandage around his fractured right thumb, which happened on March 11 against Minnesota.