Steve Kerr shouldn’t play Westbrook and Durant together
By Derek Tahara
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr should avoid playing Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant together during the 2017 NBA All-Star Game.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said that he wants to play his four all stars in the game Sunday. Now, whether the fifth player on the court is Russell Westbrook remains to be seen.
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However, if he does put Westbrook in a lineup full with Warriors, it would not be a great move, considering Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are not on the best of terms.
Yes, Kerr is trying to make the game more fun and intriguing, but putting two ex-teammates, who have not acknowledged each other are on the floor at the same time on one of basketball’s biggest stages. It could strain the relationship even more than it already has.
It is not a good look on the Warriors head coach and it would portray the Warriors as “villains” even more. If Kerr made a lineup of these players, it would make the fans and other teams hate the Warriors to a degree that should not be possible.
Westbrook playing with the four Warriors all stars would solidify their place in “most despised teams” in NBA history. It is because Kerr is potentially playing Westbrook with four Warriors and it seems like a knock against Westbrook and how his team has somewhat struggled throughout the season, while the Warriors have been the most dominant team in the league as of now.
Doc Rivers, head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers recently had some advice for Kerr (via ESPN) if he decided to put Westbrook on the same floor as Kevin Durant.
“I made sure they loved me, the other ones,” he said. “I knew my guys liked me. That was not my concern.”
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Rivers’ statement has some truth to it. Kerr would not want Westbrook to go off again against the Warriors. He should make him happy instead and not try to strain the relationship more between Durant and Westbrook.
Only Sunday will tell if Kerr is going to press everyone’s buttons and add some drama to the all star game if he decides to reunite the former Thunder teammates.