Trae Young and Kevin Durant starred in a heated moment on Friday night, shoving each other and exchanging words after KD tried to get under Young’s skin with his defense.
The Atlanta Hawks’ point guard didn’t appreciate Durant’s antics and didn’t back down despite being shorter than the 2x NBA champion. They were separated by teammates and referees before things got worse between the players.
Following the game, Kevin Durant talked about his encounter with Young, clarifying there is no issue between him and Trae whatsoever.
“I was a little too physical there with that action and I kind of pushed him a bit. He wanted me to get up out of his space and I respect that. Just a part of the game. Nothing personal, it’s all competition.”
The guard also reacted to the situation, confirming that it’s all good between him and Durant. Just like the 2014 NBA MVP said he’s known Young since he was 10 years old, the latter said idols become rivals.
“Idols become your rivals
#AlwaysLove,” Young tweeted.
Idols become your rivals#AlwaysLove https://t.co/pMksIyhjpt
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) December 11, 2021
Trae is not afraid of becoming the villain whenever he goes against big rivals. The New York Knicks are well aware of that and some thought he would do the same against the Nets. Yet, things stayed cool between the All-Star and Durant.
The 23-year-old finished the game with 31 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists, but that wasn’t enough to get past the Nets. The Hawks are trying to find their touch this season, ranking 8th in the Eastern Conference standings, just five games away from the Nets, who sit atop of the leaderboard.
