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Prior to the 129-100 dismantling of the Golden State Warriors on opening night, Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs was asked his thoughts of the move of Kevin Durant from Oklahoma City — and he was as blunt as his usual self.
The Argentinian international said he was “a little surprised” by Durant's move to the Bay Area, thinking he was likely to stay at OKC for yet another crack at the two-time Western Conference champs, according to Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News.
Ginobili also compared Durant’s arrival to the Warriors to the 2003-04 season, when future Hall of Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton signed with the Los Angeles Lakers to play alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant – a team that eventually lost to the Detroit Pistons in the Finals.
“I remember back 10 years when it was the Payton-Malone-Kobe,” Ginobili said. “We were all shocked at the beginning, but then it’s just another team. They’ve got to figure it out and find their balance and it’s just one more team.”
The Warriors were obliterated in their season debut, and while Durant and the usual suspects played well, it was the bench that was the clear weak link of the team.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen with OKC, but maybe it’s one less team to beat,” Ginobili said. “One less team that is as big a threat as they used to be.”
Something tells us Russell Westbrook won't take kindly to this comment. The two teams face each other for the first time on Jan. 31 when the Spurs host the Thunder at 8:30 p.m. ET. Even if their encounter is three months away, this is the kind of stuff Westbrook always keeps in mind.
