8:02 pm | April 13, 2019 | Go to Source | Author:
OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant and LA Clippers guard Patrick Beverley were ejected in the fourth quarter of the Warriors’ 121-104 win on Saturday in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinal after receiving two pairs of double technicals for repeatedly jawing at each other.
The initial set of double technicals came with five minutes left in regulation and the Warriors firmly in control. Durant and Beverley, who exchanged words throughout the game, were each given a technical as the officials tried to make sure the situation between the two didn’t escalate. Beverley, who has made a career out of getting underneath opponents’ skin, mocked Durant’s body movements earlier in the game after being called for a foul on him. At that point, Durant laughed off the exchange.
But tempers flared again in the fourth when Beverley had the ball and Durant tried to strip him.
With 4:41 remaining, Durant and Beverley got tangled up after Durant’s strip and exchanged more words. Referee Ed Malloy quickly ejected both players as a smile crossed Durant’s face. A sold out Oracle Arena chanted “Warrrrriors!” as Durant and Beverley went to their respective locker rooms.
“We took the bait; [Durant] took the bait, and that’s two technicals,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “But that’s what Beverley does; we talked about it for the last couple days. He’s a helluva defender, he plays hard, we’ve got a lot of respect for him — but you cannot take the bait because that’s a bad trade for us. The Clippers have made a lot of good trades this year — that was probably their best.”
Beverley said “no” when asked after the game if he was egging on the chippy dynamic between himself and Durant.
“I was just being Pat. It was fun out there,” he said. “We competed. I really wish we could’ve played more without the chippy calls, but I understand it’s Game 1 and they’re trying to set the tone. But this is the playoffs. People want to come see a good basketball game and not so many fouls, but there’s things that we can control.”
For his part, Durant also called the matchup with Beverley “fun.”
“I’ve been playing against Pat Bev since he was in Arkansas, so I kinda know what he brings,” Durant said. “He’s a Chicago kid, man — grew up and raised in the Chicago area, so those dudes played with a different type of grit, so I can appreciate that about Pat. And we know what he’s gonna bring to the table — just physicality, mucking up the game a little bit with his physicality, his talking, just everything — that’s what he brings to each team he plays on. That’s his identity, and they support him with the Clippers. So for me, I know that coming into the series, so I thought it was fun tonight.”
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