Off-Topic » dd Im not concerned about Alex Smith off his one-game abse

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr says its absurd to cast Kevin Durant as a villain because he left the Oklahoma City Thunder as a free agent and joined the Warriors this summer.To think of Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or any of our guys as villains, its kind of absurd. Especially Kevin, Kerr said Sunday in an interview on ESPN Radios TMI with Michelle Beadle and Ramona Shelburne. This is one of the most likeable people in this league. Hes just an awesome human being. What he did in Oklahoma City was just amazing for that community.Kerr added: Circumstances kind of dictate, I guess, that some people are going to see him as a villain. But its only because he decided to go elsewhere to play. He wanted to change his scenery, he wanted a new challenge. More than anything he wanted to play with our guys. He loves Draymond [Green] and Steph and Klay [Thompson] and Andre [Iguodala]. Seeing those guys in New York, he loved seeing the chemistry that exists and he wanted to be a part of it.Durant said last month that he didnt leave the house hed rented in the Hamptons for 48 hours after he announced his decision because he knew how strongly fans would react to him leaving.For a few days after, I didnt leave my bed, because I was like, If I walk outside somebody might just hit me with their car, or say anything negative to me, Durant said last month at Team USA training camp in Las Vegas.I mean, Ive been somewhere for so long, and then to make a change like that, [which] nobody knew was coming, that nobody didnt think I would do, of course I didnt know how it would be received afterward. But at some point, I just said, Look, man, life goes on. Life moves on, and I cant hide forever, so I just had to face it.Durant was warmly received by his new home crowd at Oracle Arena last month when Team USA played an exhibition game against China, but he was booed at Staples Center before Team USAs exhibition game in Los Angeles a few days earlier. Fans in Oklahoma City notoriously burned Durants jersey after he decided to sign with the Warriors.Durant also has drawn criticism from former players like TNT commentators Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller.I was disappointed. I was disappointed like I was disappointed when LeBron [James] went to Miami, Barkley said on ESPN Radios Mike & Mike last month. Kevin is a terrific player. Hes a good kid. But just disappointed with the fact that he weakened another team and hes gonna kind of gravy-train on a terrific Warriors team. Just disappointed from a competitive standpoint. Because just like it meant more to LeBron to win one in Cleveland, it would mean more to Kevin to win one in Oklahoma than it would be in Golden State.Barkley, of course, was part of a superteam himself during his NBA career when he was traded to the Houston Rockets in 1996 after he said hed retire if the Phoenix Suns didnt trade him to a contender.People are going to view him however they want, Kerr said Sunday. But we all know what kind of person he is and what kind of impact hes had around the league.Kerr was also asked about the recent series of mishaps All-Star forward Draymond Green has gone through this summer. Green had to pay $560 for a noise violation in a plea deal to settle a misdemeanor assault-and-battery charge in East Lansing, Michigan. Then last week he accidentally posted a lewd picture of himself on the social media app Snapchat.Kerr said both he and Warriors general manager Bob Myers have been in touch with Green throughout the summer.With Draymond hes obviously the one guy that sort of walks the line, tows the line, hes had some issues during the season, whether its being demonstrative on the floor or the locker room or whatever, or getting suspended, Kerr said Sunday. But the thing with Draymond, and I learned this from [Michigan State coach] Tom Izzo ... He said Draymond is going to make you pull your hair out sometimes, but hes such a great guy and a team guy and hes got such a huge heart that hes always going to come back around. He said, The big thing with Draymond is challenge him and be up front with him. Dont be afraid to yell at him. Thats the way weve kind of approached it.Draymond and I, weve gotten into it many times ... but theres never any lingering ill will. Bob and I try to keep the momentum going. Every once in a while theres a hiccup and we address it ... but he always gets back on track.As for the lewd photo on Snapchat, Kerr made light of Greens statement at the time by joking, All I know is Im one click away from making a horrible mistake, I know that. Thats what I learned from Draymonds mistake. Were all one click away. Fake Black Friday Shoes . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. Black Friday Shoes Store . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. https://www.shoesblackfriday.com/ . Coach Tom Thibodeau says the former MVP will probably start travelling with the team in the next few weeks. Rose tore the meniscus in his right knee at Portland in November and was ruled out for the remainder of the season by the Bulls. Black Friday Shoes Sale . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Black Friday Shoes Deals . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. Chris Berman has taken his Swami Sez NFL picks segment, seen on SportsCenter, to ESPN Chalk. Each week during the NFL regular season, hell give his favorite picks against the spread here with a little further analysis.Season record: 31-15 ATS?Dallas Cowboys at Pittsburgh SteelersBen Roethlisberger looked as if he started to knock the rust off in the fourth quarter last week against Baltimore. Dallas has been rolling and has given up only 20-plus points in one game since mid-September. But theyre due for an average performance sometime, arent they? This is one of two home games for Pittsburgh in an eight-week stretch. The Steelers need this one, and they get it.Score: Pittsburgh 24, Dallas 20Seattle Seahawks at New England PatriotsThis has all the makings of a bad matchup for Seattle, coming off a short week and with a red-hot New England team off a bye. But the Seahawks are a veteran squad with a proud defensive unit that knows what its getting itself into here. The Patriots cant wrap up home-field advantage in the playoffs yet, can they? I think they get tripped up here, as Seattle wins it in an upset.Score: Seattle 24, New England 23Kansas City Chiefs at Carolina PanthersKansas City has really played only one complete game (Week 6 at Oakland) this season and the Chiefs dominated. This seems like a similar situaation against a Carolina team that has strung together two wins.dddddddddddd Im not concerned about Alex Smith off his one-game absence, and the Panthers werent able to score much against Los Angeles. I think the Kansas City defense does enough here to get them the win.Score: Kansas City 20, Carolina 18Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia EaglesAtlanta is a contender, but this is the only home game Philadelphia gets in a month. With a young QB in Carson Wentz, thats a bigger advantage than for other teams. I dont think they can match the Falcons in a shootout, but this Eagles defense is good enough that it wont get to that point.Score: Philadelphia 31, Atlanta 28Miami Dolphins at San Diego ChargersThe Chargers didnt get the stadium vote, but they still have Philip Rivers. This team is playing well and, at 4-5, has a chance to get back to .500 with a bye on deck. That would be an impressive accomplishment with the tough losses San Diego has suffered so far. This will a fun game to watch with Melvin Gordon and Jay Ajayi both looking to put on a show. San Diego gets the win here, with Rivers becoming the ninth QB to pass for 300 touchdowns (hes at 298 right now).Score: San Diego 30, Miami 24 ' ' '