Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook and More Involved in Warriors vs. Thunder Scrap
Kevin Durant may be injured, but there was still plenty of drama-filled tension during Monday's tilt between the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The two teams were lining up for a jump ball in the second quarter when Stephen Curry and Semaj Christon started shoving each other. Russell Westbrook and others were quick to jump in, resulting in a scuffle and replay review.
Royce Young of ESPN.com noted Curry, Christon, Westbrook and Draymond Green were each assessed a technical foul in the aftermath.
Once the situation was settled, Curry drilled a cold-blooded three-pointer to put the Warriors up 20 at halftime, and he sprinted back to the locker room:
It was just another chapter in what has become one of the NBA's most intense rivalries. Narratives now abound, but the acrimony started when Kevin Durant left the Thunder after nine seasons with the organization to join Golden State in July.
He was met with disdain from the crowd when the Warriors visited Oklahoma City for the first time this season Feb. 11. Chris Haynes of ESPN.com reported Monday that Golden State was "furious and bewildered" someone in the Thunder organization didn't address the media before that contest to ease any tension.
The Warriors also felt Durant should have been publicly recognized for his time with the team.
As for Curry and Westbrook, the two-time reigning MVP said he thought James Harden should win this season's award when asked by Dan Patrick to pick someone not on the Warriors (via Dan Feldman of Pro Basketball Talk).
Westbrook features prominently in this season's MVP race and had a head-turning response when asked about Curry's comments (via Faizal Khamisa of Sportsnet):
Perhaps some lingering tension between Curry and Westbrook helped fuel Monday's scuffle.
Given that back and forth and the Durant situation, NBA fans would be in for a treat if the two teams met in the playoffs for the second straight season. Golden State overcame a 3-1 deficit against Oklahoma City in last year's Western Conference Finals.
