New York – Kevin Durant He was tired, unbroken.
Frustrated, but still confident about his personal future with Brooklyn Networks And his friendship with Keri Irving.
The swept the nets By more cohesive and determined Boston Celtics, a sweep scored as the first in Durant’s 14 NBA seasons. The same is true for Irving, who missed a large part of the season due to not being vaccinated against COVID-19.
Irving told the media that he has no plans to leave Brooklyn, as he could cancel his contract and go to free agency this summer.
Durant didn’t hesitate when Yahoo Sports asked him after his press conference if he wanted to continue to be Irving as a teammate.
Of course, Durant said. “I would like to play more. Life is way more important to me than that. I can’t get angry. I can’t end a friendship based on something like that. Our friendship is based on who we are as human beings. Basketball adds to it. If we don’t cooperate on a football field Basketball, we can easily talk about it as friends.”
He yelled “Hell, no” when asked if the season was stressing his friendship with Irving, but admitted he’s had some tough moments where Durant has had to carry a heavy burden. Initially, the Nets denied Irving, and they wouldn’t let him play road games until attrition hit the team in the new year.
“Yeah, yeah,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “Having conversations, missing games, not playing together. It wasn’t more than I could do. It was out of my control. The best I can do is come to work and be me and make sure the situation in the building is right for everyone.”
He knew he couldn’t force Irving to be vaccinated, so he said his frustration was contained in the immediate period after the hard nights.
“I’m going to be mad after the game, for not being there,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “Being a three-team or whatever, like Kai would definitely help tonight, but [mad at] Individually? Nah. “
There was only so much Durant could control, like James Harden Entered an improper bootcamp and acted a bit behind the scenes, leading to a trade day deadline to Philadelphia for her Ben Simmons Who went a whole year without playing.
Shrinked as Harden looked, it seemed like it would have helped at least compared to Simmons being inactive throughout the entire series.
“Jamie? His departure? I wish things were different,” Durant admitted to Yahoo Sports. “Being angry? I wish it was different I can’t say I was emotional.
“They’re grown men. I can’t control how they feel. They might change their mind. Everyone gets that blessing. Life is too amazing for me to be upset. I understand that people want me to feel somehow.”
Durant is why Brooklyn is so important to the NBA system. He understands that and knows the perception that he’s running the organization, from Irving being there to Steve Nash being chosen as head coach.
He opposes it, puts the “franchise player” in air quotes, and calls himself another part of the machine. Durant, LeBron James and former teammate Steve Curry are the two biggest names in the sport. James effect with Lakers It was widely speculated, and the Lakers’ failure – not too different from the Nets’ poor performance this season with speculation that Durant has similar influence.
“I feel like this is a story [media created]. I don’t even think LeBron does,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “He might have input or know some information. but he says [pointing left]”This is what you should get.” [Points right.] “That’s who you should get” I don’t think it works that way.
“I’ve been near Steve, he just doesn’t work that way. Let people do their jobs. I don’t have to go over what they’re doing. I’m just here to support. If they want me to text or call someone they might come over, of course.”
Durant said he helped recruit Goran Dragic When Dragic was purchased and released by San Antonio in February.
“I’m not, this is a men’s list,” Durant said. “Shawn” [Marks, Nets general manager] He’ll hit me, like, “Curran is interested, what do you think?” me [contacted] for him. This has always been what I have been like since I came here. I had no control. I do not want it.
“I don’t want to know because I’m a ‘franchise player’, it’s just a fact that I want to know who my teammates are. It’s disrespectful for me to come in and try to get past what they’re doing because of my league status. It’s not fair to them. Everyone has a career. .I just want to know.”
Durant will turn 34 in September and come out with a playoff that he’d like to forget as the years become more valuable.
His best showing was a 39-point performance in Game 4, but he shot just 38.5% of the streak and had a tough time with the crowded Boston defense, turning the ball more than any playoff during his career.
It’s a far cry from last summer, when his playoff performance earned him a level of acclaim in a Golden State Final defeat by a respectable segment of the population.
Unfair as it sounds, this was supposed to be the year a Durant-led team made their way to the top. And while he played by MVP standards before injuring his knee in January, that reputation took a hit.
“It’s objective. Whoever played well that night is the best player,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “I didn’t really believe in that. [stuff]. This is not my mentality as a player.”
A knockout early and finally could score this as a wasted season as no one knows how long he’s still playing at such a high level.
“I’m going through my years with how I get up and approach my craft. It’s not always about the outcome of the game,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “I do this because I honestly [enjoy] Wake up and enjoy going to work. It’s simple for me. Winning trophies and getting average a certain amount of points, all star games, don’t get me wrong. I want it all but if I don’t get it, I’m still excited to be in the NBA.”
All principles have recognized the Eastern Conference is getting stronger, as evidenced by the performance of the Celtics. Durant has faced Jason Tatum on occasion – although Tatum had the infrastructure advantages of the Celtics and Durant didn’t – but he was affected nonetheless.
“I told Jason when he was in high school, he’s going to sell shoes, and he’s going to be an All-Star,” Durant said. “So for him to do this? I expect him to do this; it’s no surprise to me. I expect him to be a Hall of Famer, 30,000 points, three-time Olympian. I expect that from him because he’s talented. That’s how cool he is.”
Durant is now a fan of the game compared to the participants, a feeling that seems odd given his stature – but one that can change, whether or not he admits he has the effect.