Green settles Durant spat, says Warriors won’t ‘crumble’
Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant (35) talks with Draymond Green after a turnover during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green said Thursday he had settled his differences with team-mate Kevin Durant and warned that the NBA champions would not “crumble” over their recent locker-room strife.
Green was suspended for one game on Tuesday for “conduct detrimental to the team” following a furious bust-up with Durant during the team’s overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.
Reports said Durant and several other teammates had argued with Green after he had held onto possession with the final play of regulation time, rather than pass to Durant.
READ: Draymond Green benched by Warriors after Kevin Durant spat
Speaking ahead of the Warriors game against the Houston Rockets later Thursday, Green said he had buried the hatched with Durant following the row.
“Kevin and I spoke, we’re moving forward,” Green told reporters. “It’s no secret I am an emotional player, I wear my emotions on my sleeve and I play with those same emotions.
“Sometimes they get the best of me and it doesn’t work to my favor. I’m going to live with that. I’m never going to change who I am, I’m going to approach the game the way that I always do and we’ll continue to move forward.”
Green, meanwhile, laughed off suggestions that the discord heralded the beginning of the end of the Warriors dynasty.
READ: James Harden leads Rockets rout of Warriors
The franchise has reached four straight NBA finals and is chasing a fourth title in five years this season.
However, the current group of players faces an uncertain future with both Durant and Klay Thompson entering free agency in 2019.
Green insisted that talk of the end of an era was premature.
“I’ve read a lot about ‘Is this the end of the run?’ Or ‘Did I ruin it?’ Or ‘Did I force Kevin to leave?'” Green said.
“At the end of the day, whatever Kevin decides to do, whatever Klay decides to do — we’ve had great years together and I support everybody wholeheartedly 100 percent.
“As a man and as a human being you have the right to do what you want with your life, so I’ll never question that,” said Green, adding that the Warriors could emerge even more united following the row.
“What you must know is, everyone on this organization, from a player, not myself, not Kevin, not anybody else, is going to beat us,” Green said. “If you’re one of them other 29 teams, you’ve got to beat us. We’re not going to beat us. We’re going to continue doing what we do.
“I apologize for ruining your stories but if this only makes Kevin, myself and the rest of my teammates stronger, then that’s what it’s going to be. You think you saw something before, then good luck with us now.
“We’re not gonna crumble off an argument. We’re going to move forward.”
