HOUSTON • Addressing the confrontation with teammate Kevin Durant that earned him a one-game team suspension, Golden State forward Draymond Green warned that the Warriors are not "going to crumble off an argument".
A late-game tiff between the two All-Stars reportedly carried over into the locker room on Monday night after Golden State's 121-116 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Warriors suspended Green for one National Basketball Association game and he sat out on Tuesday as Golden State beat the Atlanta Hawks 110-103.
Speaking to reporters before Thursday's game in Houston, Green admitted that his emotions "got the best of me" and said that he and Durant are moving forward.
He apologised to reporters for "ruining their stories" about the potential demise of the dynasty.
"Nobody in this organisation... not myself, not Kevin, not anybody else is going to beat us. We're not going to crumble off an argument," he said.
"If you're one of the other 29 teams in this league, you've got to beat us. We're not going to beat us."
However, the Rockets did precisely that, beating the Warriors 107-86 in a rematch of last season's Western Conference Finals.
Houston took full advantage of the absence of Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry, who missed his fourth straight game with a groin injury. They posted their sixth victory in eight games after a 1-5 start and improved to 7-7.
Green returned for the Warriors (12-4), who endured a horrendous shooting night, connecting on 42.1 per cent of their shots from the field and just 22.2 per cent from three-point range.
Not a single Warriors starter made a three-pointer - a first since March 2013.
"We're banged up a little physically and we're banged up spiritually - there's no getting around that," Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted.
"We've got to get our spirit back, get our energy back, and we're going to. It's a long season."
Durant led the Warriors with 20 points and Thompson added 10, while Green failed to score a point in 24 minutes of play.
Houston were paced by James Harden's 27 points.
"I just thought our guys right from the start were locked in defensively," said Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni.
"They did a great job. You don't beat these guys like this unless everybody plays well."
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
