On Friday, Kevin Durant and Gary Payton had a lively exchange during the Suns’ 130-105 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Payton, a Seattle Supersonics legend, was present to support his son, Gary Payton II, who plays for the Warriors. The atmosphere was charged, and despite the noise, their playful banter stood out.
The next day, social media showed their back-and-forth. Durant remarked, “You up here, I’m at the ceiling,” while Payton responded, “I’m on the roof.” Durant then joked, “By the time you were my age, you were the eighth man on the bench.” Interestingly, Payton had a solid run in his 36th year, starting all his games with the Celtics. He averaged 33.0 minutes per game, debunking Durant’s claim about him being a benchwarmer.
Despite the heat of the moment, both players emphasized that their exchange was friendly. Payton told ESPN, “We were just talking junk.” Durant echoed this sentiment, saying, “It’s always good rapport with the older generation.” He noted how he respects Payton’s competitive spirit, adding, “Any time, any chance I get to see him, we’re going to talk this trash until we die. It’s all love.”
Durant ended the game with 19 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Devin Booker led all scorers with an impressive 31 points. The friendly rivalry and mutual respect between these two players highlight the bond that can exist in sports, blending competition with camaraderie.
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Source linkGary Payton,Kevin Durant,Phoenix Suns,Golden State Warriors,Boston Celtics,Devin Booker
