Few things can be as infuriating as trying to get a nice hot shower only to find out the hot water isn’t working. This can be a nuisance when at home, but it is perceived as nothing but pure pettiness when a visiting team can’t get the hot showers working when on the road.
The Golden State Warriors certainly felt there was some foul play involved with their Monday night showdown in Cleveland against the Cavaliers when they discovered they could only get a cold shower after their 118-108 victory.
Kevin Durant was heard saying “They got to do something in The Q,” after emerging from an abbreviated cold shower. “Somebody call [LeBron James].”
Golden State players complaining because the locker room showers don’t have any hot water. Players are coming out shivering.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 16, 2018
Kevin Durant on the cold showers: “Man, they got to do something in The Q. Somebody call ‘Bron.”
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 16, 2018
A report from ESPN says multiple players were overheard reacting to the coldness of the showers, which had no hot water flowing through the pipes in Cleveland’s home arena. This is the first time something has been mentioned about the water temperature in the visiting locker room, and there have been no reports of Cavaliers players having to endure a cold shower. Was there some pettiness involved for the Cavs’ worst enemy from the Western Conference after three-straight showdowns in the NBA Finals and losing the last two?
It is entirely possible this is the case, because it is not uncommon for home teams in various sports to try and create the most unwelcoming conditions for their opponents. Iowa football sends their visitors into a pink locker room. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh suggested Purdue’s football facilities were unsatisfactory for the road team.
Tales have been told about teams shutting off the lights on their opponents to prevent practices from continuing, and the idea of a cold shower for the opponent is nothing new to the NBA either. Just last year, Dwyane Wade suggested the Boston Celtics pulled a similar stunt on the Chicago Bulls during the playoffs last year. That wouldn’t be a first-time accusation for the Celtics either as the same franchise allegedly did the same thing to the Los Angels Lakers back in the 1980s during their heated rivalry for NBA supremacy.
Some people do prefer a cold shower, but of all the things people in the NBA were fighting about on Monday, a cold shower does seem to be the most worthy point of disagreement to get feisty over.
https://twitter.com/AGoot18/status/953273350385790978
I imagine the hot water will be working just fine for the Cavs’ next visitor (the Orlando Magic on Thursday) and I’m not entirely sure that will be a coincidence.
[ESPN]
