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‘That’s not my fault’- Kevin Durant’s heated exchange headlines fiery NBA Cup opener
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- ‘That’s not my fault’- Kevin Durant’s heated exchange headlines fiery NBA Cup opener
Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images
Kevin Durant and Tari Eason exchanged heated words during the Houston Rockets' 116-111 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks in their NBA Cup opener, adding another talking point to an eventful night of basketball.
The Rockets had started the season strongly but surrendered an eight-point fourth-quarter lead to suffer their first loss. Durant led Houston with 28 points, though the result was overshadowed by his on-court disagreement with a teammate.
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Meanwhile, Stephen Curry produced a highlight-reel moment against Luka Doncic, while LeBron James helped the Philadelphia 76ers beat the New York Knicks in a closely fought contest.
Kevin Durant and Tari Eason's argument puts Houston Rockets under scrutiny
The exchange between Durant and Eason occurred after a pass from the veteran forward travelled around the baseline before going out of bounds. Durant appeared to believe Eason had touched the ball and immediately challenged his teammate.
"Come on, man!" Durant shouted.
Eason was quick to respond: "That's not my fault."
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The 25-year-old forward made it clear he disagreed with Durant's criticism, with the pair continuing to gesture and argue before the moment caught the attention of fans online.
The incident also revived discussion surrounding allegations about Durant's supposed burner account.
Screenshots attributed to the account circulated during NBA All-Star Weekend, allegedly containing criticism of Rockets teammates Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr.
Durant has declined to confirm or deny the allegations, previously dismissing the matter as "Twitter nonsense".
Elsewhere, Curry crossed over Doncic before sinking a step-back three-pointer during the Golden State Warriors' meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers. The moment left Curry celebrating and drew an excited reaction from Warriors teammate Will Richard.
Phoenix Suns guard Dillon Brooks also made headlines after being ejected against the Denver Nuggets for kicking Jamal Murray in the groin. Officials upgraded the initial offensive foul to a Flagrant 2 following a review.
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Brooks had already scored 22 points before his departure, but Phoenix eventually lost 127-120. Murray later said he did not believe the contact was intentional.
James, meanwhile, finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists as Philadelphia beat New York 98-93. The 76ers survived a late Knicks comeback, with James delivering a go-ahead fadeaway before helping seal the result.
With the NBA Cup group stage underway, Houston will need to address its late-game collapse, while Durant and Eason's disagreement provides another storyline to follow.
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