Advertisement

Kevin Durant ejected after flagrant foul for shoving Pistons' Kelly Olynyk in the neck

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant was ejected from their 117-91 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night after he took a shot at Kelly Olynyk’s neck.

Durant, in the third quarter of the win at the Barclays Center, was following Pistons forward Saddiq Bey to the top of the key when Olynyk set a hard screen.

Durant, in an effort to get through it, shoved Olynyk hard three times — including once to the neck — before Olynyk went sprawling to the floor.

Officials quickly called Durant for a flagrant 2 foul and was ejected from the game.

He finished the night with 23 points and five assists while shooting 10-of-13 from the field.

The ejection marks the second straight game where Durant either was or should have been ejected. Durant, officials admitted after Brooklyn’s 105-96 win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, should have been ejected from that contest after he threw the ball into the stands at the Barclays Center — which is a clear violation of NBA rules. He was instead just hit with a technical foul, and allowed to stay in the game.

The NBA fined him $25,000 for that incident.

The Nets held a 17-point lead when Durant was tossed from the game on Sunday night, and cruised to the 26-point win even without him for the final quarter. James Harden added 18 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds to complete his triple-double, and LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 16 points off the bench.

Cory Joseph led the Pistons with 13 points off the bench, and Josh Jackson put up 12. Jerami Grant added 11 points, and was the only starter for Detroit to score in double figures. The Pistons, who got their first win of the season on Saturday after No. 1 overall draft pick Cade Cunningham made his debut, are now 1-5 on the year.