“They have the size”: Kevin Durant names Lakers NBA Cup favorites after refusing to blame loss on refs
Kevin Durant named the LA Lakers as the favorites to win the NBA Cup after they defeated the Phoenix Suns 106-103 in the quarterfinals of the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament on Tuesday. The Purple and Gold led by LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves continued their unbeaten run in the marquee tournament and now face the New Orleans Pelicans in the semifinals in Las Vegas.
Durant, who ended with 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists refused to blame the loss on the referees after a controversial timeout decision. Instead, he pegged LA as a prime contender to hoist the silverware:
“They have the size… The quickest flight. Most fans…. I can’t wait to watch. The intensity of these games has been incredible. I wasn’t a fan but now I’m a huge fan of the In Season tournament.”
As for the controversial timeout whistle by referee Tom Washington, the incident occurred with 11.2 seconds on the clock in the fourth quarter with the Lakers leading 105-103. James inbounded the ball from the baseline and under the basket to Austin Reaves.
Booker challenged the guard and Reaves lost control of the ball. On the opposite sideline, James had looked at Washington pleading for a timeout and was granted one accordingly. This upset the Suns' coaches and players who were seen arguing with the referee on the sidelines. However, there was no reversal of the decision. The win eliminated the Suns from the In-Season Tournament.
The Lakers were the dominant unit, capitalizing on the Suns' erratic defense and turnovers. Like Kevin Durant, James finished with 31 points as well and added eight rebounds. Davis chipped in with 27 points and 15 rebounds, while Reaves came off the bench to pour 20 points, six rebounds and two assists.
Kevin Durant and Phoenix Suns slip in West standings
With the Suns no longer in the tournament, the unit will focus on getting their groove back in the regular season. Upon Devin Booker's arrival from injury, Phoenix has rolled out a string of wins that put them at 12 wins. The loss on Tuesday though saw them slip in the regular season standings. Their 12-9 record now sees them eighth in the seventh in the West.
Kevin Durant has been the driving force for the Suns with 31.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists. Booker is the second-leading scorer with 27.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 8.4 assists. In the absence of Bradley Beal who has missed a major chunk of the season with a back issue, Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon have been chipping in for the outfit.
Up next, the Suns face the Sacramento Kings, who were earlier defeated by the New Orleans Pelicans in the In-Season matchup. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker will be key again against Sacramento's relentless offense.