© Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Tonight could have easily gone wrong quickly for the Warriors; eventually, it did, but not until until late. With DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston all sitting versus a dominant home team in the Portland Trail Blazers on the Warriors’ second night of a back-to-back, there was every indication that the Warriors needed to be perfect, or near it.
Here are three thoughts from the Warriors’ 129-107 loss:
A lil’ bit of chippiness… and a lot of unsavory language
At the start of the fourth quarter, the simmering tension that was a product of a close game – and the Blazers defending their home court while seeing the always targeted Warriors as vulnerable – boiled over. At the end of the third quarter, Durant jawed with Damian Lillard and the Blazers bench:
Durant blocks Lillard’s dunk, talks to Lillard. Goes down the other end, gives Warriors the lead, talks to Blazers bench. pic.twitter.com/BxT74OHPhU
— Jake Hutchinson (@hutchdiesel) February 14, 2019
Then, Zach Collins blocked Damion Lee, let’s say, assertively:
Zach Collins out of nowhere for the REJECTION! ??#RipCity 106#DubNation 101
7:10 left on @ESPNNBA pic.twitter.com/aBAfzHC6mq
— NBA (@NBA) February 14, 2019
What followed was the rarely seen irate version of Klay Thompson, who got into it with Collins following an offensive foul:
Collins and a heated Klay jaw at each other, both pick up technicals pic.twitter.com/pvn1SWP1NC
— Jake Hutchinson (@hutchdiesel) February 14, 2019
What could make Klay Thompson, traditionally such an even-keel, calm player, so angry? Feel free to do your own lip-reading here:
Collins had some words for Klay ? pic.twitter.com/dfOauJgUL8
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 14, 2019
Then, Draymond Green committed a hard foul on Collins with about four minutes to go, and head coach Steve Kerr was ejected:
An IRATE Steve Kerr gets ejected pic.twitter.com/8X0C3mfFJQ
— Jake Hutchinson (@hutchdiesel) February 14, 2019
Even after Kerr’s ejection, Collins was still going at it with Warriors players:
Collins still running his mouth. pic.twitter.com/G8MHGzjKMC
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 14, 2019
Here’s what Draymond Green said about the altercations after the game, and enjoying angry Klay Thompson:
Draymond Green on the questionable flagrant, the “Draymond rule”, the Steve Kerr ejection, the Klay-Collins beef: “I enjoyed that. (Klay) was talking bad to that dude.” pic.twitter.com/sp7vNUrV9n
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 14, 2019
“And if I get some rest, yeah, that’d be nice”
Tonight, the Warriors rested three of the key cogs in their rotation for the Warriors’ final game before the All-Star break. DeMarcus Cousins, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston all left the Warriors depleted of some reinforcements which would have been greatly appreciated tonight.
Still, the decision protected two older players and one who came back from a catastrophic injury. It also opened up minutes for the likes of Alfonzo McKinnie, Damion Lee, Jonas Jerebko and Jordan Bell.
As Portugal. The Man, a Portland rock group sang on “Evil Friends,” “And if I get some rest, yeah, that’d be nice.” Aside from Curry, Durant and Thompson, the Warriors’ will get a full week off for All-Star Weekend.
Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry: very good basketball players
Without three key players tonight, you knew Durant and Curry (and/or Klay Thompson) would have to be at their best to give the Warriors a shot at winning. While Thompson struggled mightily (2-of-16, 9 points), Durant and Curry were near perfect.
For the first time in their times as teammates, or their “teammateship,” if you will, both Curry and Durant scored 30-plus points each through the third quarter. Everything fell apart in the fourth quarter, but that was a product of the Blazers getting hot, and that flagrant foul of Green effectively ending the night with four minutes left. It didn’t help that no one else on the team scored in double digits.
Here were their stats on the night:
Curry: 32 points (10-of-24, 5-of-14 from 3-pt, 7-of-7 from FT), 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover
Durant: 32 points (12-of-17, 3-of-4 from 3-pt, 5-of-6 from FT), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, 1 turnover