NBA Rumors: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook Slam Draymond Green Bias; Warriors out of KD's Free Agency Options Due to Dirty Plays?

By Mitch de Leon
NBA: Playoffs-Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder
May 24, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) react during the first quarter in game four of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena.  Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA playoffs 2016 series between the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder is turning into a bloodbath for the Stephen Curry team as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook cannot stop winning. In another blowout win over the Draymond Green squad, the Dion Waiters team showed that it will take more than a kick in the groin of Steven Adams to stop them from taking it all the way to the NBA finals - an event that might not even see LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers but the Toronto Raptors of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.

Fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder cried foul when the NBA failed to suspend Draymond Green following his infamous "kick in the groin" against Steven Adams which left the latter writhing in pain in the middle of the hardwood court. Is the embarrassing 118-94 defeat of the Golden State Warriors the response of the Serge Ibaka squad to the injustice done to their teammate? If so, then they have succeeded in showing the Klay Thompson team that dirty plays and tricks do not make champions.

"They're (NBA) not going to suspend Draymond Green," shared Durant of the groin-kicking issue. The OKC leader added, "He's one of the premier players in the league on arguably one of the best teams in the history of the game. They're not going to suspend him."

While the rest of the OKC fans are expressing their outrage over the incident and subsequent punishment, the 2014 NBA MVP refused to take the bait. According to Durant, his team did not even discuss the issue during their practices after the controversial Game 3. He added that the OKC stars have nothing else in their minds but to play good basketball and beat the Stephen Curry team.

Durant explained, "I didn't even really think about it. I knew the league was going to let him play or upgrade him to a Flagrant 2. We all knew this was going to happen. The league is about business. I get it. There's no hard feelings. We're not upset about it."

Unlike Durant, teammate Russell Westbrook did not take kindly to the incident especially after Green commented about it to the media. The Golden State Warriors star noted that his actions following the groin-kicking incident indicated his innocence. Green shared how shocked he was when he saw Steven Adams on the floor after the former made the shot. However, he insisted that his right leg goes up when he shoots the ball.

Green noted, "I always do it. Russell said I did it on purpose, but he's part of the superstar group that started all this acting in the NBA."

This caught the ire of Westbrook who responded to the comments of Green. The OKC star replied, "I've never been fined for one flop since I've been playing in the NBA. I don't know about no flopping or nothing. I don't know how to flop. But it seems like he was the one that was flailing, kicking his legs out and stuff yesterday. It wasn't me."

Meanwhile, the free agency rumors surrounding Kevin Durant have been getting more traction these days. With the market wide open for him to choose among teams like the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers, where will KD choose to play next NBA season? Earlier this year, the Golden State Warriors subtly opened up about the possibility of signing Kevin Durant to play alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green - a team dubbed as a potential supergroup ala Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James.

With the recent incident and accusations of dirty tactics, however, can the Golden State Warriors still lure Kevin Durant to their team? Or will KD stick it out with Russell Westbrook in the OKC especially in light of their successes in the NBA playoffs 2016?

  • ‘Wang Mingdao’s Diary’ reproduction highlights complexities of contemporary Chinese Christianity

    On December 9, the China Graduate School of Theology (中国神学研究院) hosted a public lecture titled “A Courageous Witness in the Times—Launch of Wang Mingdao (王明道)’s Diary.” The lecture, themed “Faith Patterns in Beijing’s Christian Churches Through the Lens of Wang Mingdao’s Diary,” featured Dr. Ni Buxiao (倪步晓), Associate Director and Assistant Professor at the Christian Faith and Chinese Culture Research Center of Alliance Bible Seminary (建道神学院), as the keynote speaker.

  • Floating library ‘Doulos Hope’ arrives in Taiwan; spreading love and hope from a former cruise ship

    Doulos Hope, the international floating book fair ship, has returned to Taiwan and is now docked at Kaohsiung Port, open to the public from December 18, 2024, to January 12, 2025. Originally built in 1991 and renovated in 2022, the ship features over 2,000 books on various topics, including faith, science, and art. It is operated by a diverse crew of 140 volunteers from 25 countries, offering services such as education, healthcare, and community outreach. The ship's mission is to spread hope and

  • Chinese Online School of Theology publishes annual ministry report: Expanding Chinese theological education through new strategies

    In the 2023-2024 academic year, New York-based Chinese Online School of Theology (COST) has seen significant development in expanding its ministry in theological education and mission outreach. They have promoted a series of new events and projects to explore different strategies that expand theological education for Chinese ministers. The following are some highlights from the 2023-2024 annual report:

  • Dr. Fenggang Yang: How foreign forces transformed traditional Chinese legal systems

    In a recent lecture to Chinese Christians, scholar Dr. Fenggang Yang (杨凤岗) gave an in-depth analysis of the historical evolution and contemporary significance of the modern legal system in Chinese society. He explored the tensions and integrations between traditional law and modern rule of law, highlighting the distinctive characteristics of China’s traditional legal system and emphasizing the role of foreign influences in introducing modern legal practices into Chinese society.