Green plays down warrior factor in spat with Durant

LOS ANGELES • Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green downplayed his recent blow-up with team-mate Kevin Durant and called the verbal exchange "a tactic".

The two players were caught on camera having an animated discussion during the National Basketball Association team's loss to the Sacramento Kings last Saturday, when Durant appeared to confront Green on the sidelines during a break. But Green insisted that all is well between him and his fellow All-Star forward.

"If you can't (air out issues with team-mates) you're probably on a losing team," he said on Tuesday. "It was actually a tactic. But that's for us to know and everyone else to figure out."

Durant struggled through one of his worst nights of the season, shooting two for 10 with just 10 points but made no mention of the spat following the contest.

It was not the first time Green and Durant have been involved in a testy encounter, as the fiery Green was also seen yelling at the newcomer last month during a defeat by Memphis.

Last season's losing finalists Golden State (43-8) lead the NBA standings but are still adjusting to the presence of leading scorer Durant, who joined the team in the off-season. "Anyone who knows anything about winning knows (conflict) is going to happen," Green said.

REUTERS


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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 09, 2017, with the headline Green plays down warrior factor in spat with Durant. Subscribe