Kevin Durant plays with "heavy heart" hours after close friend Cliff Dixon's death
Oakland, Calif. — Kevin Durant had 15 points, six assists and three blocked shots after losing a close friend earlier in the day, and the Golden State Warriors ran away from the Indiana Pacers 112-89 on Thursday night. Durant led a balanced Warriors attack, playing the same day childhood friend Cliff Dixon was shot to death in Atlanta.
Warriors guard Quinn Cook also was close with Dixon as they're all from the Washington D.C./Maryland area.
"I know he will be playing with a heavy heart," coach Steve Kerr said of Durant.
TMZ reported that Dixon, the ex-boyfriend of "Love & Hip Hop Atlanta" star Erica Mena, was fatally shot outside of a DeKalb County bar and restaurant early Thursday morning.
CBS affiliate WGCL-TV reports the shooting happened around 1 a.m. at the SL Lounge on Buford Highway in Chamblee. Police say the victim, identified as Cliff Dixon, was shot and taken to Grady Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Dixon played two seasons of college basketball at the University of Western Kentucky.