Durant apologizes for 'distraction' of Game 1 ejection

Forward Kevin Durant is asking for forgiveness following his ejection from the Golden State Warriors' Game 1 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

"I don't want to disappoint my coaches and the fan base and owners who expect me to be out on the floor, so I apologize - for being thrown out the game," he said Monday, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell.

Durant was given his marching orders with 4:41 left in the game after a squabble with Clippers guard Patrick Beverley. The two players came face to face after Beverley fell in front of the scorer's table while battling Durant for a loose ball.

The Warriors didn't miss Durant as they went on to win by 17 points, but the 30-year-old admitted the postgame fallout could have been avoided.

"In the moment it was cool," Durant said. "But just the reaction after the game, I don't want coach or my teammates or the organization to be upset with me because of some shit that I did. I don't want to get in the way of what's going on out on the floor.

"I think that was a huge distraction and I don't want that to be a part of this series. I just want to play. It looks like it's a huge distraction."

Players automatically receive a one-game suspension after picking up seven technical fouls in the playoffs; Durant currently has two.