“They would come on and tell the world ‘Oh we don’t care, we just enjoying life’” - Kendrick Perkins believes Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will be bothered by their former teams making the NBA Finals
Brooklyn Nets superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are currently at home watching their former teams battle it out in the NBA Finals. They were swept in the first round of the postseason.
On ESPN's "Get Up," former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins spoke about how the grass isn't always greener on the other side. He believes both will be fuming on the inside about the way things panned out this season after being swept by the Boston Celtics. Perkins said:
"Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, we both know are very outspoken and very outspoken on social media and they would come on and they would tell the world oh we don’t care, we just enjoying life and its not all about basketball and it is bigger than basketball.'
"But at this particular moment, they would be lying if they go on and say on any platform that they are not bothered by this situation because both these guys at the end of the day, they do care about winning."
Kyrie Irving had a tremendous Game 1, with 39 points in a 115-114 loss, but failed to put up big numbers in the remaining games. The suffocating Boston defense made life very difficult for Irving and Kevin Durant.
What does the summer hold for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant?
The Nets came into this season with championship aspirations as heavy favorites with a "Big Three" of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
Fast forward to the end of May, and Harden was playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. Irving missed most of the season due to his unwillingness to get vaccinated. The Nets' season came to an end after being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Boston Celtics, who have reached the NBA Finals.
We didn’t get the result we wanted, but I wanted to congratulate my brothers in that Celtics locker room. They earned the series Win and I wish them well as they advance. Nothing but love competing against them.
Suffice to say, things haven't gone according to plan. The Boston defense suffocated Durant and Irving. The duo struggled to get shots off because of the constant double teams. The Celtics also managed to cut off the passing lanes as they kept Patty Mills and Seth Curry quiet.
Simmons' acquisition made no difference. The Australian never played a single minute due to a back injury despite reports of him being possibly healthy for Game 4.
Without Simmons, the Nets offense was run by Irving, Goran Dragic and Durant. They desperately missed the defensive stalwart's ability to orchestrate the offense along with his size and length.
The Nets are the first team in NBA history to shoot 50% from the field and 40% from three in the playoffs and get eliminated. https://t.co/CrKoqgwNt1
Things are looking bleak for the Nets as a summer full of question marks is on the horizon. Irving's future and possible coaching changes are at the top of the priority list for Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks. Durant's future with the franchise will depend on Irving's future.