Rihanna vs. Kevin Durant Is the Most Important Rivalry of the 2017 NBA Finals

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If the sports historians are to be believed, Steph Curry and LeBron James’ showdown in the 2017 NBA Finals is one for the ages, a NBA rivalry on par with Celtics/Lakers, Pacers/Knicks, and Bulls/Pistons faceoffs of years past.

But anyone who watched Curry’s Warriors’ dominant 113-91 win over LeBron’s Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday knows there’s an even more interesting rivalry brewing: Rihanna vs. Kevin Durant.

Bad Girl RiRi was courtside for Game 1 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, and made her presence known, staying for the entirety of the game (something of a rarity for celeb fans, who tend to skirt out after a few photo ops) and making her loyalty to the Cavs clear to surrounding Warriors fans, the Twitter-verse, and Durant in particular.

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After bowing to James as he came down the court on defense, Rihanna shushed Golden State fans who didn’t like her enthusiastic presence, giving them a fluttering, dismissive wave, and a dab for good measure. 

But the showdown between RiRi and KD really kicked off when the songstress seemingly yelled “Brick” during some of Durant’s free throws, prompting a series of staredowns between the two that sent social media into a frenzy.

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After the Warriors' win, Durant skipped the opportunity to “Take a Bow” with reporters, instead playing coy and pretending not to remember when asked about the interaction.

“Don't get in that trap,” Curry warned teasingly.

“I'm cool,” Durant added. “Have fun with that.”

Here’s hoping for more interactions between the Bad Girl and “Rude Boy” as the finals continue!

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