BROOKLYN -- The final result could pretty much be predicted when the Warriors trailed by 30 points at the 5:06 mark of the second quarter Wednesday night in their eventual 143-113 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn called a timeout, bringing Kevin Durant and others back into the game.
During that timeout, Draymond Green sent a message to the Warriors' top pick from last June's draft who turned 20 years old five weeks ago. What he said seeped into Patrick Baldwin Jr., and was a moment he'll never forget.
"F--k it, you got KD," Green said to him.
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Baldwin made it a mission growing up to emulate his game after three players: Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant. On Wednesday night in Brooklyn, he stood toe to toe with Durant for the first time, and Green immediately challenged his young teammate.
With the Warriors' six-game road trip coming to an end in frustrating fashion, Green could have easily continued to guard Durant or directed someone else to do so. Winning still was the goal, though it was a longshot even a few minutes into the second quarter. The bigger picture is what mattered in that moment.
The decision didn't result in a miraculous comeback, but it could have a long-term positive impact and it might have even factored into the best game of Baldwin's young career.
"I think he could just tell he's one of my favorite players without me having to tell him, but it's like, at some point you have to pull your weight and welcome yourself to the league," Baldwin said to NBC Sports Bay Area in the Warriors' locker room after the loss. "No better guy than Kevin Durant to do that to you. He even said it himself when I checked in."
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Though it was only his ninth game in the NBA, Baldwin is extremely mature and polished for someone who just graduated his teenage years. As the son of college coach, that's part of the reason the Warriors were so high on him headed into the draft. Another was a skill he displayed against Durant and the Nets.
For a poised young player, Baldwin's heart had to be rushing a bit when he first locked eyes with Durant. This is who he and so many others have aspired to be. When he was the No. 1 high school recruit in the nation, some experts envisioned a bit of Durant in Baldwin's game with his lengthy and smooth shot.
Then as he came out of the timeout and stepped on the floor, Durant said the thing. A cliché turned to reality.
"He was like, 'Welcome to the league, young fella,' " Baldwin said. "He knows he just does this for a living. He just has a great level of confidence. I mean, sometimes you're just at his mercy. He's a great scorer."
Right away, Durant took Baldwin to his left and drained a pull-up jumper. Less than 20 seconds later, it was Baldwin's turn. His first 3-point attempt of the night was without hesitation and with a Durant's outstretched left arm in the left corner.
That was the start to a red-hot night for Baldwin. He didn't back down. Durant kept coming at him, as did Baldwin with one of the game's all-time greats.
Baldwin says Durant wasn't trash talking with him. Durant's lips weren't shut by any means, either.
"Just some healthy basketball talk, but I'm not gonna talk back to KD at this point," Baldwin said. "I mean, who am I to do that? But no, just some healthy basketball talk and any time you get matched up against a guy like him, it's just a blessing."
Watching film might be Baldwin's biggest hobby. He's a basketball junkie who'd rather turn on the tape than play cards or watch movies on the team plane. Yes, plenty of those hours staring at the screen has been of Durant.
He did so with his father, Patrick Baldwin Sr., long before the Warriors drafted. The younger Baldwin did so ahead of Wednesday's game, too. Like a song that can't get out of one's head, Baldwin recited what he has seen from Durant without skipping a beat.
"Yeah, left, right crossover," Baldwin said smiling after an honest laugh. "Going right he's pulling up. Going left he's driving. It's just little stuff like that you pick up from his game. Right shoulder fadeaway, doesn't like the left shoulder.
"He's KD, he does it all. But he's got tendencies."
Durant led the Nets with 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals. It was the latest performance in what has been an MVP-like season for Durant. And then there's Baldwin's stat line.
Any shooter wants to say every shot feels good. For Baldwin, he knew he could be in for a big night after his second or third attempt of the night. He hit his first six shots of the night, including his first five 3-point attempts. While he cooled off in the end, Baldwin scored a career high 17 points going against one of the game's best.
To him, it all started with the trust Green gave him right away.
"It was awesome that he can have that kind of trust where he can put you on a premier scorer like that and feel confident with you," Baldwin said. "I think that in itself took me to a new level confidence wise, just knowing that a guy like Draymond who has won rings with KD decides it's my time to guard him for a couple possessions.
"It was pretty cool."
What made the night most special was who was in the crowd. Baldwin's father coached him at the University of Milwaukee-Wisconsin, and now is an assistant at Georgetown. After falling 84-73 in a battle with UConn on Tuesday night, the Baldwin Sr. was able to get to Brooklyn in hopes of seeing his son play.
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With his busy coaching schedule, this actually was the first time Baldwin's father was able to see him play live in the NBA. What a night to do so, one the two can reminisce years from now. Baldwin vs. Durant. It's what fathers and sons dream of with each practice shot as a kid.
Still, it was defense and finding wins that was Baldwin's main focus before the Warriors boarded their plane to get back to San Francisco.
"He didn't say much about the KD matchup," Baldwin said of his conversation with his dad after the game, "but he just said, 'Anytime you get the opportunity, make an impact and make them feel you.' I feel like defensively I did that for the most part.
"Offensively it will come, I'm still young. But defensively is the step that needs to be taken on a winning team."
Numbers are going to grow in bunches for Baldwin as his role increases. The two titles that Durant won with the Warriors is what he's locked in on most of all.