NBA Notes: Charles Oakley banned from Knicks games

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NEW YORK -- Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan banned Charles Oakley from the arena Friday, though said he was open to reconciling with the former Knicks forward.

In an interview with ESPN Radio's Michael Kay, Dolan also confirmed a report that he had fired the Garden's security chief, two nights after Oakley was forcefully removed from his seat and arrested at a Knicks game. Dolan said the firing of the security head stemmed from more than just the handling of the incident.

The Knicks said Oakley was "abusive" Wednesday even before reaching his seats in the first quarter, and on Friday distributed a witness report featuring more than a dozen witnesses who described his behavior and their interactions with him.

The team also shared with The Associated Press a 1-minute security video of moments leading up to the altercation, containing brief clips of Oakley in his seat, talking to a hostess and being confronted by Garden officials. There was no audio.

Dolan said Oakley used racial and sexual overtones and that games must remain safe for fans, so he was enforcing the ban.

"We are going to put the ban in place and hopefully it won't be forever," Dolan said (see full story).

NBA: New Twitter rules
NEW YORK -- The NBA wants its teams to avoid Twitter wars.

The reminder was issued in a memo from the league to all 30 teams on Tuesday. It comes about two weeks after Portland's Twitter account mocked Dallas' Chandler Parsons for airballing a 3-point attempt, a tweet that sparked a back-and-forth between Parsons and Blazers guard CJ McCollum.

Parsons later said it was all in good fun.

In the memo, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum didn't specifically reference that exchange but said "recently ... some teams have crossed the line between appropriate and inappropriate."

The league urged teams to "properly and extensively train" social-media staff members to ensure they know what's appropriate. Examples the league cited as inappropriate included embarrassing or belittling opponents, and criticizing officiating.

Warriors: Durant still loves OKC
OAKLAND, Calif. -- As much as it still hurts for so many Oklahomans to see Kevin Durant shine elsewhere, the Golden State star remains committed to the community he called home for nearly a decade. The place where he grew into the basketball player he is today, and the man he has become.

KD departed Oklahoma City with fanfare on the 4th of July last year to chase a championship with Stephen Curry and the star-studded Warriors.

So when he goes back Saturday night for the first time it will be far from a perfectly harmonious reunion. And that's fine with Durant. He gets it, he understands what he meant to a city that so desperately needed the lift he provided.

"I put everything into that place, so it will be great to see some people that I haven't seen in a while," he said. "So I'm looking forward to that."

In December, Durant donated $57,000 to Positive Tomorrows, an Oklahoma City elementary school for homeless children that he still cares so much about -- and insists he always will, wherever he is. So far, he has honored that commitment after previously giving $35,000 to the school through his foundation.

"Well, that's real life," Durant said in December. "I've been a part of that group going on four years now. Just `cuz I left there don't mean I'll stop building with them. That's totally separate from this NBA stuff. Those kids mean a lot to me, definitely want to continue to keep helping them. I'm glad I can keep helping growing the school. It's all about the community there. That was home for me for eight years. I've still got love for the people there."

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