OAKLAND – Kevin Durant was ejected for the fourth time this season in Tuesday’s 123-112 win over the New York Knicks. After the game, Durant blasted referee James Williams, saying that he targeted him because his feelings were hurt in the first half.
Durant said it all started over a disagreement about a crossover in the first half.
“I was dribbling up on the right side,” Durant said. “I made a right-to-left cross. He said I carried. He kind of let that go. I asked him where did you get the carry from? He said I froze the defender. I said that’s what a crossover is for, and that’s why I do it, to freeze my defender. He tried to make a bunch of excuses and I told him he was wrong. He went to halftime probably with an attitude.”
Kevin Durant on his ejection and officiating pic.twitter.com/uicljZ8luP
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 24, 2018
Durant said things went south after halftime and he felt as though Williams had it out for him.
“So second half, his whole thing was like he’s trying to get me,” Durant said. “Look at my first tech. I got the rebound and I dribbled the ball hard and he teched me up. He was searching for me. He was looking to try to tech me up to get me back because he was still in his feelings from the first half. That’s what’s been going on around the league the whole year is a bunch of that. You know what I’m saying? I’ve got to keep my head a little bit. But I was upset. I’m a human being too. I get upset.”
Durant was assessed his first technical foul with 3 minutes and 24 seconds left in the third quarter after slamming the ball off the ground to himself. He was ejected from the game with 2 minutes and 50 seconds left after complaining to Williams because he thought he was fouled on a fast-break layup.
Draymond Green, who leads the NBA in technical fouls (11), attempted to calm down Durant before he was ejected. After the game, even though Durant was still upset about what had transpired, he couldn’t help but laugh at that.
“Yeah, the irony,” Durant said. “I was not trying to hear that.”
Durant said he didn’t want to get another technical foul, but he felt a need to express himself. He added that Williams could now hold a grudge against him going forward.
“When we see James again, I’m sure he’ll still be in his feelings,” Durant said.
After Durant spoke candidly, he said he wasn’t going to dwell on the officiating, which has been a source of contention throughout the season between the players and the referees.
“This is a bad season for us and the refs, as far as our relationships are concerned,” Durant said. “But we’ll be all right.”
Durant went on to say that he’s going to move on.
“I’ve got to play my games and not even worry about the refs,” Durant said. “I’m my best when I just play and not even think and focus on nothing else but what’s going on on the floor — the refs, the crowd, nothing. It’s on me. I said what I had to say tonight. I got through tonight. Now, don’t even worry about it, stay locked in.”
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