“We don’t worship him like y’all”: Kevin Durant fires away at Nikola Jokic’s and Nuggets fans for rooting against USA
Kevin Durant played the entire fourth quarter in Team USA’s nail-biting, come-from-behind 95-91 win against Nikola Jokic’s Serbia. Durant and Co. survived a big scare, trailing by as many as 17 points before eking out a victory. The Americans will face France, a rematch of the Tokyo Olympics, for the gold medal.
Team USA’s win in a fiercely contested game naturally had fans expressing their thoughts about the game and the players. An X (formerly Twitter) user under the handle “Swipa” posted that Serbia had to be proud of its accomplishment despite the loss. He noted that the Serbs “took the most talented team in the history of the planet to the wire with a medal on the line.”
Kevin Durant did not let it pass and responded:
“Where u from?”
Some were surprised with the former MVP’s reply. The X user only urged the Serbians to be proud without taking a shot at Team USA.
Mike Smith, another X account holder, fired back at the Phoenix Suns superstar:
“Cheering against Team USA? You mean, like all of those Americans who were making fun of Noah Lyles not winning gold in his latest race? Good ol' double standards.
“Just admit you hate the fact that Jokic is clearly the best player in the world.”
The post drew a lengthy response from Kevin Durant:
“To all you nuggets fans, nobody gives a fuck who yall lames believe is the best player in the league, players got major respect for Jok, we don’t worship him like yall do but most are in awe of his brilliance. Trolling you cornballs for rooting against us is a part of the game. Deal wit it”
Durant and Nikola Jokic shared a brief hug and exchanged a few words after the game. They respect each other but the trash-talking on social media from fans will not stop. The game between Team USA and France for the gold medal will be even more interesting.
Kevin Durant had a key role in beating Serbia
Kevin Durant’s numbers did not jump out of the box score. He did not start and played 24 minutes, finishing with nine points, three rebounds and one assist. Durant’s impact, particularly in the fourth quarter, was undeniable.
Steph Curry had the hot hand while LeBron James was all over the floor in the final period. Durant almost quietly did his part on the defensive end, clamping down on Serbia’s wings who torched the Americans from the perimeter.
Bogdan Bogdanovic’s and-1 with 56 seconds left in the game cut Team USA’s lead to 91-89. With Curry playing decoy, Kevin Durant stepped up to the plate to deliver a smooth, cold-blooded jumper to extend the lead with 36 seconds remaining. Nikola Jokic answered with a layup in the next possession before Curry’s free throws iced the game.
Emotions ran high from both teams and the intensity of that match extended to fans on social media. It wasn’t the first time KD answered somebody on X and that would likely be the last time.