Warriors' Thompson takes issue with Rockets' Eason after key win - ESPN

HOUSTON — Golden State Warriors players Draymond Green and Klay Thompson stood, faced the crowd in Houston, and yelled «Warrrriors, come out to play!»

The phrase was the same one Rockets forward Tari Eason wore on his shirt pregame. But after the Warriors beat the Rockets 133-110 — a game with massive play-in implications — Eason excited the arena shirtless, with just a vest and a big diamond chain on.

«That's pretty lame, especially if you're not even playing,» Thompson said. «It's one thing if you are out there playing, out there competing and you can back it up. But you're just going to be trolling from the sideline? What are you doing? The time we talk smack, we're out there competing. That's all I have to say about that.»

Green appreciated the smack-talk element of it all, but shared Thompson's sentiment that if you are going to taunt, you have to back it up on the court. Eason has been shut down for the rest of the season with a benign growth on his lower leg bone that required surgery.

«I love it (but) if you're going to say that, you got to play,» Green said. «You can't come out and say that and not play. But I know what type of player he is. He welcomes all of that. He welcomes the challenge and welcomes the fight… hopefully next year he'll say the same thing and we both won't be fighting for the play-in, we'll be fighting for the seeding.»

The Warriors' win over the Rockets all but locked up at least a top-10 seed for Golden State, fending off Houston's ferocious run to snatch it away from them.

Just nine days ago on March 24, Houston was just one game behind Golden State in the standings after winning their eighth straight in what would be an 11-game win streak.

Now, the Warriors are up four games on the