Anyone who is a true basketball fan understood that while Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Golden State Warriors can be fairly criticized, it did not take away from the greatness of KD’s legacy. Nonetheless, Durant has been hated for the last five years — but his recent success in Brooklyn is changing the narrative.
Kevin Durant is washing away the stain that was wrongfully put on his resume for joining the Golden State Warriors in 2016.
There should never have been a question as to whether or not Durant could lead a title team on his own. The guy was a four-time scoring champ, league MVP and unanimous top-three player in the NBA before even joining the Warriors. Even so, the hate for KD was strong once he moved to the Bay and his two titles have been regarded as the least valuable in league history.
I’m not going to spend time arguing the value of Durant’s championships because, well, a ring is a ring. We can all agree on that. Furthermore, we should all be able to agree that even if you think Durant’s success in Golden State was cheap, his recent run with the Nets should be easing your mind.
Durant just did something no one has ever done before, posting 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists to lead Brooklyn over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5. He played all 48 minutes and buried the dagger shot to propel his team to a 3-2 lead. Oh, and did I mention he only missed 10 shots the entire night?
This game pushed Durant’s averages to 33.1 points on 52/43/89 shooting splits this postseason. With his two running mates, James Harden and Kyrie Irving, both missing time due to injuries, there is no debate as to the credibility of Durant’s accomplishments this time.
Durant is still a long way from winning another title. He has to finish off the Bucks before likely facing the Philadelphia 76ers, a team who is fully equipped to harass him defensively if his sidekicks aren’t there to relieve any tension. After that, an NBA Finals showdown with one of the LA Clippers, Utah Jazz or Phoenix Suns is sure to challenge Durant, as well.
However, it is a heartwarming sight to see the NBA embracing Durant once again. Perhaps in time, more fans will be able to appreciate his remarkable time spent in Golden State, as well.