Kevin Durant did what he came here to do
Kevin Durant had an incredible Game 3 performance in which he carried the Golden State Warriors to a tough road victory in Utah.
The Golden State Warriors lost the NBA Finals partly because the Cleveland Cavaliers dared one individual to beat them. They stayed attached to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and essentially told Harrison Barnes that it was up to him. He couldn’t close it out.
Kevin Durant is not Harrison Barnes. He’s a legitimate killer on the court that will rip your heart out of your chest then dunk it through the hoop. This is why they want after him.
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The Warriors pursued Durant after going 73-9 and coming within a few baskets of repeating as champions. Of course landing Durant increases their championship window. But, most importantly, it was meant to prevent another Game 7 failure like the one they endured against Cleveland.
Durant and the Warriors endured a lot of ridiculous criticism. Twitter experts tried to claim that the marriage couldn’t work. They tried to cope with the signing by suggesting that somehow a top 3 player in the world makes the best team in basketball worse.
Durant went down with injury and Steph Curry, once again, came to the rescue for the Warriors. After losing a few games during the Warriors’ second major adjustment period of the season, Curry had the team rolling. They looked like last year’s team, as Durant sat on the bench.
Even after his return, he wasn’t fully himself. And after playing three games at the end of the regular season, Durant suffered a calf injury in Game 1 of the opening round. Then the Warriors easily put the Trailblazers away, even as a limited Durant returned to the lineup.
The whole team clicked in Games 1 and 2. Game 3 in a hostile road environment was all about Durant. He took over when his star teammates struggled.
The 2014 MVP had 38 points and 13 rebounds. He was incredibly efficient, going 15/26 from the field while finding his stroke from long range. He also gave the Warriors the edge and toughness they needed.
Durant and Rudy Gobert exchanged shoves and words, resulting in a flagrant foul and a technical foul for the Golden State star. He was also seen talking with a fan sitting courtside and he even cursed a mascot off the court. After all of the insults and criticisms hurled his way, all the talk of the Warriors not needing him, he silenced that crowd.
They needed every single burst of energy that he provided. They needed every inch of space that opened up in the paint when he pulled Gobert away from the rim. They needed every single bucket and board that he gave them.
Golden State has struggled in Game 3s in the Steve Kerr era. Durant made sure that they didn’t drop the game. He dominated.
Durant did what he came here to do. He didn’t make the most controversial decision in NBA history to win regular season games or just come along for the ride. He flew from Oklahoma City to the Bay Area to succeed in the playoffs.
This is what the Golden State Warriors signed up for.