NBA: Unapologetic Draymond Green and Warriors moving on; Rockets cut ties to Carmelo Anthony

Draymond Green isn’t apologizing for his part in a dust-up with Kevin Durant that led to a one-game suspension by the Golden State Warriors.

Green vowed Thursday that the Warriors are not imploding, regardless of whatever is, or isn’t happening, following the heated exchange between he and Durant in Monday night’s overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Green said he and Durant have spoken and that they’re “moving forward.”

The Warriors forward spoke on Thursday for the first time since the incident. He opened his session with reporters by saying: “I’m going to speak on this one time and one time only,” and refused to take any questions about it after he was done.

“I think there’s no secret that I am an emotional player,” he said. “I wear my emotions on my sleeve. I play with that same emotion. Sometimes they get the best of me. And (if) it doesn’t work to my favor I’m going to live with that.”

He continued by saying that the passionate way he plays the game has led him to much success in his career.

“It works in my favor to the good as my resume speaks and this team’s resume speaks more so than it doesn’t,” he said. “So I’m never going to change who I am.”

In the closing seconds of regulation during Monday’s 121-116 overtime loss on the road to the Clippers, Green secured a rebound and, with Durant calling for the ball, instead dribbled the length of the court into traffic and lost control as the Warriors failed to get a shot off. Durant was shown on camera visibly upset immediately afterward.

Then, back on the bench waiting for the extra period to begin, the two traded words and gestured with Klay Thompson seated between them and Andre Iguodala, DeMarcus Cousins and others trying to calm the situation.

It wasn’t the first time Durant and Green have been involved in a verbal altercation. In another overtime loss, 109-106 at Sacramento on Feb. 4, 2017, they shouted at each other and argued near the bench.

Coach Steve Kerr confirmed that Green and Durant have spoken but refused to divulge any details.

“I can tell you that I am extremely confident in this team’s ability to get through any adversity,” he said.

Kerr said he’s also talked to Green about the incident but that he wanted to keep what was said private. However, he did rave about Green and what he’s done for the Warriors in his seven seasons with the team.

“We’ve been through too much together,” Kerr said. “We’ve won championships. We’ve lost a Game 7 in the Finals. We’ve had all kinds of ups and downs and I know Draymond’s got a huge heart. He’s a champion. He’s a winner and he’s so passionate that at times he can go over the edge. He always comes back and I know he’s going to come back and he’ll be his usual competitive, passionate self and we’re going to move on.”

Rockets ‘parting ways’ with Anthony

Carmelo Anthony is done in Houston. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey released a statement Thursday saying the team is “parting ways” with Anthony and “working toward a resolution.”

Anthony played just 10 games for the Rockets after signing a one-year, $2.4 million deal during the offseason.

Morey added that: “Carmelo had a tremendous approach during his time with the Rockets and accepted every role head coach Mike D’Antoni gave him. The fit we envisioned when Carmelo chose to sign with the Rockets has not materialized, therefore we thought it was best to move on as any other outcome would have been unfair to him.”

Anthony was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Atlanta Hawks in July before the Hawks released him to clear the way for him to sign with the Rockets.

Two women among promoted referees

The NBA has promoted five referees to full-time status, including two women, Ashley Moyer-Gleich and Natalie Sago. They will join former league referees Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner and current official Lauren Holtkamp as women who have the full-time designation. Holtkamp is not working games this season while she recovers from a knee injury.

“It’s difficult not to say Ashley and Natalie aren’t the second and third `women referees’ being added to the staff,” NBA vice president and head of referee development Monty McCutchen told The Associated Press. “But true equality comes when they’re just going to be `referees’ on our staff. And that’s what we’re really trying to achieve, this sense that their work warrants their advancement.”

The league also promoted Mousa Dagher, Matt Myers and Phenizee Ransom to the full-time level. Dagher further adds to the diversity of Thursday’s moves — he was born in Syria and moved to the U.S. as a 15-year-old in 2006. Myers spent more than a decade in the G League, and Ransom was there for six seasons.

UPDATES:

3:20 p.m.: This report has been updated with news the Houston Rockets are parting ways with Carmelo Anthony.

12:30 p.m.: This report has been updated with more details about Draymond Green and the Warriors as well as news five referees were promoted to full-time status.

This report was originally published at noon.