Warriors' Kevin Durant says ejections don't mean he's changed

OAKLAND - “Do you think I've changed?” Kevin Durant asked a reporter Friday morning after practice.

This was the morning after Durant screamed profanities at a referee and got ejected before halftime of the Warriors' 116-107 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. That was his first game back after missing two weeks with a partial rib cartilage fracture. Durant had driven the hoop, missed a left-handed layup and fallen to the floor. He thought he got fouled, and gave the ref a piece of his mind.

Durant has been ejected from an NBA-leading five games this season. Five ejections is more than any player has had since 2001, when the notoriously rude Rasheed Wallace got tossed seven times.

Durant never seemed rude on the court before this season. He had been ejected only once in 10 years. His current attitude during games seems out of character and strange, especially considering the Warriors need him to be their leader on the court while Stephen Curry is out with a sprained MCL. They need Durant to stay in the game and play.

What's going on with him?

“It is out of character,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said after practice. “I don't have an answer for you. It has been an interesting year for us and for him, a lot of ups and downs. He has kind of snapped a few times. He is an unbelievable competitor - Kevin wants to win and he wants to compete. Like a lot of us, occasionally he snaps. You've seen it with me. You've seen it with Draymond (Green). Hopefully, the fifth one was (Durant's) last one.”

Durant sounded less hopeful.

“That won't be the last time I argue a call, and it probably won't be the last time I get ejected from a basketball game in my career,” he said,

A reporter told Durant it seemed uncharacteristic of him to get ejected five times in a season.

“Uncharacteristic?” Durant asked.

“Uncharacteristic, yeah. You didn't get ejected much before this season.”

“I don't think that has anything to do with character,” Durant said, smudging the linguistic distinction between character and characteristic. “It's just the simple fact that I didn't like a couple non-calls. I argued about them. I got kicked out. I don't think it's anything deeper than that.”

“So, you don't feel you've changed or you're acting differently this season,” the reporter said, guessing. Not asking.

“Is that what you think?” Durant asked with a sly smile.

“I don't know you,” the reporter said, laughing.

“Bro, you can ask me that.”

“I'm asking you.”

“Do you think I've changed?”

“No,” the reporter said.

“I don't think you really know me that well.”

“I don't.”

“So, when I hear that,” Durant said, “don't get me wrong, it doesn't make me upset. It's just confusing. You tell me I've changed and you don't even take time to get to know who I am. You can't tell me who I am because of how I act on the basketball court. That doesn't make sense to me and that's not fair to me.

“But, life ain't fair. It's all good. I know who I am. My teammates know who I am. My family knows. I was upset at a call, a missed call, and I let (the ref) hear about it and he did what he was supposed to do. He kicked me out of the game. I take it.

“That doesn't affect me coming in today and working on my game, coming here and being a good teammate in practice, listening to my coaches. That's what I should be judged on, how I come to work the next day. But, you guys aren't here to see that. I get it. I understand where you're coming from.”

For the record, no one judged Durant or accused him of changing. But he did have a point about his on-court demeanor. Durant didn't just start arguing calls this season. He's been a chronic call-arguer for years. He had 12 technical fouls in 2012-2013, and 16 technical fouls in 2013-2014. And he has 14 technicals this season.

“It's not like the dialogue has changed when I don't get a call,” Durant said. “It's just the fact that now, (refs) might be throwing me out a little quicker than they did before. They're doing their job. That's all they're doing.

“After the game, I didn't try to find the ref and give him my two cents. I went home and enjoyed my night and woke up this morning ready to work. That didn't affect me or my personality. I didn't change as a person when I got a technical. Something happened over the last few years that has people thinking, ‘Oh man, KD has changed. I wonder what it is?'”

Kerr had his own theory.

“When you swear at the refs, you get ejected,” he said.

NOTES

Klay Thompson is probable to play Saturday against the Sacramento Kings after missing the Warriors' past eight games with a fractured right thumb.

“I feel like I'm shooting it great and I'm eager to get back out there,” Thompson said.

When Thompson returns, he will wear a protective wrap around his right thumb.

“You get used to it,” Thompson said. “But if I start missing shots, that's definitely going to be my excuse.”

Andre Iguodala, who injured his knee Thursday against the Bucks, will not play Saturday. And he's doubtful to play Sunday against the Phoenix Suns.

“His knee is sore,” Kerr said. “I don't know why I would throw him out there.”