OAKLAND – Kevin Durant didn’t look right all night in his return to the court Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The former MVP scored 10 points in his 14 first-half minutes, but the length and physicality of Giannis Antetokounmpo, along with the Bucks constantly throwing double teams his way, seemed to frustrate Durant.
Things hit a head in the closing moments of the first half. Durant battled for the ball past a particularly physical Antetokounmpo, blew by the Greek Freak and attacked the rim. Durant missed a lay-up, thought he was fouled on his way to the rim, and immediately took his complaint up with the referee…even though the Warriors got the offensive rebound.
The referee let the play finish, and popped Durant with a technical foul. KD wasn’t done, and kept arguing his point. That earned himself a second technical foul and an ejection.
League leaders in ejections:
1. Durant 5
T2. Draymond 3
T2. Ibaka 3— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) March 30, 2018
The ejection was Durant’s fifth this year…by far the most he’s ever accumulated in one season. Before this year Durant had two technical fouls called on him in his entire career.
Thursday’s techs were his 13th and 14th of the season. Two more, and he’ll serve a one game suspension. That number resets at the beginning of the playoffs. If a player earns himself seven postseason techs, then he has to serve a one-game suspension.