Durant opens up on feud with 'brother' Westbrook

Ahead of Friday's hotly anticipated matchup between former dynamic duo Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Warriors' superstar signing has opened up on his feud with the MVP favourite.

Durant said he could have handled his move from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Golden State Warriors better, talking to The Mercury News.

"We were brothers. We are brothers ... He already knew who he was. He already had a stable life. He had stable parents, a girlfriend through college," Durant said.

"I didn’t have none of that stuff. I’m trying to find out who I am, which I didn’t know, which is not a bad thing.

"He knew who he was. So obviously we’re going to grow toward this way (splits arms). It’s not a bad thing. It’s not at all.

"We still hung out. We’re boys. My interest went this way, his went that way. He got married, I didn’t. He hung with his wife. What you want me to do?

"I love Russ. I don’t care what nobody say. I don’t care what he say or what the fans say. Like, this is a tough time right now in our relationship. But I love Russ. I love his family. They all know that.

"I never did anything morally wrong. I never backstabbed him in real life, never did anything behind his back, never told anyone anything about his character. Never did any of that. I just left teams. I just switched teams.

"Everyone on the outside is looking at it as, ‘Oh, you must not have liked him.’ Hell no. C’mon man. Nobody understand that part. I’m trying to find out who I am.

"He knew who he was. He knew what he wanted to do. He got married young. He met his girlfriend in college. I didn’t have none of that. I didn’t have two parents in a home with me. I’m still trying to search and find out who I am. We end up going this way (splits arms again) as far as off-the-court personality wise. And that’s not a bad thing.”

The 2014 MVP accepted that he could have handled how he informed Westbrook of his move to the 2015 NBA champions better.

"Yeah, you know, I understand that. I understand that. That’s something me and him will talk about.

"I’m not saying I’m right. I’m not saying I did it the right way. I’m owning up to that. We’re not going to go through this in the media though.

"I’m not going to say I should’ve did this, should’ve did that. We’ll figure our differences out as men one on one. He’s doing his job right now and he’s doing a helluva job. And I’m doing my job.

"Of course we’re not going to talk every day. But like I said, I don’t care what y’all say, fans in OKC, media, whoever. We’re going through a tough time right now in our relationship. But we’re brothers at the end of the day."

Durant also explained that he doesn't expect any extra tension with the two go head-to-head in one of the most anticipated games on 2016 on Friday at 1:30pm AEDT.

"It’s for your entertainment, your pleasure, your joy. I see it all the time. They want us to beef because of the game on Thursday (US time).

"They want more suspense and excitement when they turn the TV on at 7:30 or 10:30 or wherever you are. That’s what they want.

"But I’m not letting that get between us. Yeah, we’re going to handle some stuff as men behind closed doors. That’s how you’re supposed to do it. I’ve never said I was right about everything. Never said that. But we’ll handle that."

See for yourself as the two do battle at Oracle Arena on Friday afternoon (AEDT).