“As bad as they needed Kevin Durant, he needed them equally as bad” - Shannon Sharpe says Kevin Durant has to prove that he can win outside Golden State
Shannon Sharpe said the Brooklyn Nets' 0-2 series hole to the Boston Celtics could tarnish Kevin Durant's legacy. Sharpe said Durant needs to start proving he can win outside of his two championships with the Golden State Warriors dynasty.
Kevin Durant has to prove he can win outside of Golden State
On “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” on Thursday, Shannon Sharpe said:
“It’s been three years since he left Golden State, and he’s won one playoff series. ... He has to show he can win outside of Golden State. As bad as they needed Kevin Durant, he needed them equally as bad.”
.@ShannonSharpe on whether KD's performance vs the Celtics is tarnishing his legacy:
“Not yet, but if they lose this series, it will. If they win the series, nobody will remember Game 1 and Game 2. KD needs to show that he can win outside of Golden State.” https://t.co/X44q6B90UB
Durant played for Golden State from 2016 to 2019, winning an NBA championship and Finals MVP in 2017 and another title in 2018. Durant then left for the Brooklyn Nets in 2019.
While KD was with Golden State, he averaged 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. Statistics like these added alongside Steph Curry and Klay Thompson made the squad a super team.
However, a problematic narrative developed for Durant. Many saw his jump to the Warriors as chasing a free championship. After all, how could a team consisting of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, KD and Draymond Green not excel greatly?
In any case, his move to Brooklyn showed he wanted more as a player. KD took on a leadership role this year in Brooklyn and rose to the occasion. Durant averaged 28.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg and 6.1 apg. Although Brooklyn (44-38) finished seventh in the East, the squad pushed into the playoffs even after dealing with the turmoil they had.
This season was supposed to be another super team for KD, as he started off playing with James Harden and Kyrie Irving. The Big Three was assumed to be unstoppable.
But Irving's season was disrupted by New York City's vaccine mandate, playing in just 27 games. Durant battled a knee injury, playing in just 55 games. Harden wanted to play for a squad with better championship odds this season, pushing for a trade to Philadelphia. He played in just 44 games before leaving in February.
After Brooklyn spent much of the season juggling its lineup, Durant and Irving helped secure Brooklyn a spot in the playoffs.
Unfortunately for the Nets, the trouble only continued in the first-round matchup. They lost 115-114 on Jayson Tatum's buzzer beater in Game 1 and gave away a 17-point second-half lead in a 114-107 Game 2 loss.
Down two games to the defensive powerhouse that is the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn is in a difficult position yet again. Fortunately for coach Steve Nash, KD usually thrives in difficult positions.
That is arguably why Sharpe believes that Durant’s legacy has yet to be tarnished. Being down 0-2 is a tough spot but not the end of the world. If Durant gets swept this series, the narrative may change, but the remainder of this first round is the true tell for Durant’s legacy.