Former Warriors star watches in awe as Stephen Curry nails buzzer-beater.
As Stephen Curry’s teammate for three seasons, Kevin Durant knows more than most just how dangerous the 2x MVP can be when he’s got it going. In their pre-season game against the Thunder on Friday, Curry lit up the court with 30 points on the night which included a game-winning layup at the end of regulation. Watching the final moment splay out live, Durant’s reaction was captured on camera and it’s exactly what you’d expect.
“Clear out, he don’t need no screen” Durant was heard saying just seconds before Steph’s game-sealing shot.
It’s been an electric start for Curry and the Warriors. In the aftermath of last season’s humbling experience, the Dubs appear to be back in form and it could spell disaster for the rest of the league. Against the Thunder this weekend, Curry led the way with another brilliant performance while backup big man Dario Saric came off the bench to score 20 points in 20 minutes. The win put the Warriors at 5-1, tied for the best record in the West for the first two weeks of the season.
Durant Should Have Stayed In Golden State
Durant’s time in Golden State came with many accolades, including 2 championships and 2 Finals MVPs in 2017 and 2018. It wasn’t until his infamous spat with Draymond Green that the cracks began to show and by the time that the Warriors lost in the 2019 Finals, Durant was ready for a change of scenery. To this day, the Durant and Curry Warriors are widely regarded as the best team ever assembled. With a 154-54 regular season record from 2017-2019, their dominance has yet to be matched and Durant has yet to come close to the success he achieved with the franchise.
In Brooklyn, and now Phoenix, Durant has been free to lead as he sees fit but it hasn’t brought the desired results so far. Instead of being on the winning side of Curry’s heroics, Durant has no choice but to watch from afar and hope that his team has an answer when it’s time to go to war.
The Warriors Are Not Done Yet
In his 16th season now, Kevin Durant is looking to capture at least one more title before it’s all said and done. With Devin Booker and Bradley Beal at his side, he’s arguably got the best chance of winning since his days in Golden State and there’s no signs of slowing down. Through six games so far, Steph is playing at an MVP level with averages of 30.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 55% shooting.
There’s still a lot of basketball to be played this season, but with Steph playing at such a high level, it’s got the Warriors squarely in the championship conversation once again. Considering other West teams like the Suns, Clippers, Lakers, and Nuggets, victory is far from assured for Golden State but only a fool would count them out at this point given what we’re seeing from the star-studded core. Unfortunately for Durant, the path to a title in Poenix likely goes through the Warriors and he’ll have to find a way to deal with them if he wants to achieve the ultimate milestone with the Suns.