Even as former teammates and being among the NBA’s oldest players, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul couldn’t help but jaw back and forth in their chippy exchanges Thursday night.
In the first half of the Suns-Spurs clash, things got fiery between the pair, who teamed up for just eight games with Phoenix in 2023.
It seems as though there wasn’t much lasting chemistry built between them.
As Phoenix attempted an entry pass into Durant in the post, San Antonio’s Jeremy Sochan knocked the ball away and out of bounds.
Durant must have heard some words from Paul, as he immediately turned around to the Spurs’ point guard and began clapping and chattering in his face.
“I was heating up a little bit right around that time,” Durant said. “He was just trying to get in my head, get me to react and get me out the game.”
Paul pulled the newest Spur De’Aaron Fox between the two, while Paul pointed directly back at Durant and had some words of his own.
The officiating crew was having none of it and handed Paul and Durant each a technical foul.
The fracas continued as the teams went to the locker room with Durant giving Sochan a shove, pointing in Paul’s direction and continuing to jabber. He had to be held back by an assistant coach.
“You know he likes gimmicks,” Durant said about Paul. “He’ll try anything to win the game.”
Win the game is exactly what Paul did as even without Victor Wembanyama due to his season-ending blood clot diagnosis, San Antonio went on to best Phoenix, 120-109.
Paul finished with 13 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in the win, while Durant posted 22 points, five rebounds and two assists.
The Suns currently sit in the 11th seed in the Western Conference, two games behind the Golden State Warriors for the last play-in tournament spot.
The Spurs are one game behind Phoenix.
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