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Kevin Durant's crusade for the honing of his craft hasn't stopped, even after two rings and two-plus years with the Golden State Warriors. Durant took on the challenge of becoming the NBA's best defender and looked the part during the early part of the season, racking up a steady line of 25 points, seven rebounds and five blocks last Christmas against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I have to test my ceiling,” he vowed after the game.
That mission continued, as he took on Milwaukee Bucks MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo in Friday’s 105-95 victory.
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“I’ve been here three years,” Durant told Shams Charania of The Athletic. “I didn’t just become the player I am today. It’s a natural progression. I got more responsibilities, and being with Ron Adams in my third year in the league, I started to think about defense more and it evolved over time.
“Obviously, me having to score and create got in the way of that, but I want to cause problems. Guys like Giannis who are long and athletic on the wing, I usually take that matchup. I may not be able to fully shut somebody down, but I’m going to make it hard on them.”
Durant did make things tough for Antetokounmpo, who only managed 13 attempts from the field thanks to the Warriors' swarming defense.
The back-to-back Finals MVP had the worst offensive outing of this season, mustering only 11 points after going 3-of-14 from the field and racking up seven turnovers, but the effort was there in other areas, pulling down eight boards and dishing out six assists in the win.
Durant's odyssey for self-betterment hasn't stopped, as he is putting together some of the best numbers of his career with 28.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.2 assists, a steal and a block per game.
