Through the first 2 games of the 1st-round matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors — the biggest story has easily between the back-and-forth battle between Patrick Beverley and Kevin Durant, with the two eventually getting ejected after receiving two double technical fouls in less than 20 seconds during the 4th quarter in Game 1.
While Durant has tried to move on from the reoccurring incidents, the Warriors are not likely to do so.
Fox Sports reports that the team sent in a tape to the NBA league office to complain about some of Beverley’s plays on the court, pointing towards what they say is an illegal defense by the Clippers guard against Durant.
The report goes on to indicate that they’re definitely not happy with his “holding, clutching, grabbing…pushing.” The team sent a number of clips of Beverley to the NBA before Game 3 and it clearly helped as Beverley was whistled for fouls he didn’t receive in Game 1 and 2.
Before Game 3, Durant described Beverley as “pest” as well as stating, “They’re playing a gimmick defense which has been working,” Durant said. “Top-locking everything on the perimeter, so guys are not even looking at the 3-point line, they’re just forcing guys inside the 3-point line. So for us, when I get the ball in my spots, I got a pest, Patrick Beverley, who is up underneath me—who I can definitely shoot over the top and score every time if it’s a one-on-one situation.”
Game 3 was a complete wash as the Warriors dominated throughout to go on to a blowout victory and take a 2-1 series lead.
