WASHINGTON (AFP) – Once and future NBA teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook played down the drama Friday of hard feelings over Durant leaving behind Oklahoma City and Westbrook to play for Golden State.
Players gathered in New Orleans for interviews to hype Sunday’s 66th NBA All-Star Game, in which ex-teammates Durant and Westbrook will be reunited on the Western Conference team as it faces the Eastern Conference elite.
Durant has not spoken to Westbrook in the seven months since he signed a free agent deal with the Warriors, the team that beat the Oklahoma City Thunder with Durant and Westbrook in last year’s Western Conference finals.
“I didn’t come here for there to be any drama or have a heart to heart with anyone,’’ Durant told ESPN of talking to Westbrook this weekend.
“It’s not even something I’m thinking about. If it happens it does. If it doesn’t it’s no big deal. I’m coming here to enjoy the weekend.’’
For his part, Westbrook answered every question put to him about being in the same locker room again with Durant with only comments about “Fashion Week’’ and ignoring the issue altogether.
Westbrook leads the NBA in scoring with 31.1 points a game, ranks third in assists with 10.1 a game and stands 12th in rebounds with 10.5 per contest – putting him on pace to join Oscar Robinson as the only players to average a triple double for an entire NBA campaign.
Durant leads Golden State with 25.8 points and 8.3 rebounds a game, helping the Warriors to the NBA’s best record at the All-Star break at 47-9 while the Thunder rank seventh in the West at 32-25.
Asked if he and the Thunder had moved on from Durant’s departure, Westbrook replied, “What does it look like?’’
Having to pull together the West talent is Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who will have Golden State players Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on the West roster.
Kerr could play all four stars from the NBA’s winningest team alongside the league scoring leader. But he has kept mum about if he will put Durant and Westbrook together on the floor or not since Westbrook is not among the starters.
