The ejection of Kevin Durant's first match could prove costly



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<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "OAKLAND, California – The & nbsp;The Los Angeles Clippers lost Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors& nbsp; Saturday night, but & nbsp;Patrick Beverley fooled Kevin Durant successfully& nbsp; it could be expensive for the Warriors this post-season. "data-reactid =" 16 "> OAKLAND, Calif. – The Los Angeles Clippers lost Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night, but Patrick Beverley was able to fool Kevin Durant by physical ailments that could be expensive for the Warriors in the playoffs.

Beverley and Durant were sent off in the fourth quarter after suffering technical double faults when the small 7-footer dug into the defense, pushed him to the ground near the half-court and set off a confrontation against face.

"I was pushed, I got up, I was ejected," Beverley said. "I guess the referee saw something that … I do not know, but everything is fine."

<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "The game was already well in hand for the Warriors & nbsp ;as they won 121-104but the back-to-back champions now have another reason to fear moving forward. "data-reactid =" 19 "> The game was already well in hand for the Warriors, who won 121-104, but who are now in defense, the back-to-back champions have another reason to be worried to go from the front.

If a player accumulates seven technical fouls during play in the playoffs, an automatic suspension of a game is issued by the league.

Kevin Durant has words with Patrick Beverley on Saturday night. Both players were ejected after the incident. (Getty Images)

Beverley and the Clippers do not expect to overtake the first round, but they have already helped create an uncomfortable situation that the pack could take advantage of.

"Oh, of course, we took the bait," Warrior coach Steve Kerr said of Durant 's ejection. "[Kevin] took the bait. This is two techniques. You have seven techniques, your seventh is a suspension in the playoffs. Whether you play four playoff games or 24, seven is the magic number. He has four players to play with after a game. But that's what Beverley does. We talked about it for the last two days. It's a hell of a defender. He plays hard. You have a lot of respect for him. "

Durant seemed to enjoy the joke while he was displaying a huge smile during the fourth quarter of the hour incident. He remained covered with plaster while he was slapping high-five with fans as he headed for the locker room.

Beverley was a nuisance all night as he was pushing, holding, leaning and leaning against Durant while refusing him the ball. Durant has regularly alerted officials to Beverley's tactics. The 6-foot-2 defensive wizard even imitated Durant at one point accusing him of committing mild fouls.

All this hassle is what led to the exchange of the fourth quarter, which Durant did not consider deserve an eviction.

"The previous game, I got a foul on the layup and Pat came out of nowhere and blocked it," Durant said. "It was just – not friendly, but just a vulgar speech, you know, and it's an emotional game for him, so he's going to show his intensity after this game, and I've respected it, and I'm sure everyone on the ground did it. . But it was the same game for me coming back from the other end, where I had the opportunity to give intensity to the arena, to the match, to my team, and I thought that was the perfect time for me to play. therefore, without causing a technical fault.

"But I'm sure [official] Ed [Malloy] was just trying to control this game and … trying to [make sure we didn’t] take too much I guess he thought we [were] take too much I just thought it was one of those rooms where I could show a little more emotion than usual. "

Despite the incessant quarrels of the two, Durant said that he had enjoyed the interactions.

"I'm playing against Pat Beverley since he's in Arkansas, so I know more or less what he brings," Durant said after 23 points, four rebounds, three assists and three blocks. "He's a Chicago kid. He grew up and played in the Chicago area. So these guys play with a different type of grain. So I can understand that about Pat. You know what he will bring to the table, just the physical aspect, the disorder a little with his physical appearance, his words, everything. That's what he brings to every team he plays on. That's his identity, and they support him with the Clippers. For me, I know that it enters the series. I thought it was fun tonight. "

When asked if he was concerned about his technical record at the start of the playoffs, Durant replied, "No, I can control myself."

But the Warriors are concerned, sources told Yahoo Sports, and recent history has not liked them too much.

In a similar situation, Draymond Green was suspended for a game in the fifth game of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, after the striker had committed his fourth flagrant foul in the playoffs.

Golden State would continue to blow up a 3-1 lead and fall to the Cavs.

The Warriors may have won Saturday, but Beverley may have helped give the field an edge in the near future.

"We have already talked about [Beverley’s antics] for two days, "said Kerr. "It's one of our keys: do not bite at the hook. And we took it, so you can not do it. But sometimes you have to feel it before you can follow and execute that. So we will have to be really strong. "

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