Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has been tremendous in the first two games of the team's Eastern Conference semifinal against the Milwaukee Bucks. So good, in fact, some Bucks players already sound defeated as they face a 2-0 deficit against the Nets.
Veteran forward P.J. Tucker has been assigned to Durant for vast portions of the first two games. He was asked Wednesday about keeping the Nets forward's numbers down and staying out of foul trouble. Tucker thinks that's impossible:
“I don’t think you understand the magnitude of that question,” Tucker said of Brooklyn's top scorer, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “Go out and guard the greatest player ever maybe and don’t foul him? Like, it’s gonna happen. I gotta be physical to be able to get into him. He’s going to score the ball. He’s gonna get 30 or whatever. I just got to try to make it as tough as possible. … I can try to wear him down, that hopefully in the fourth, he’ll not be as good. And that’s all you can do.”
Realistically, Tucker is only being honest.
Durant is indeed one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. He is a 7-footer who can shoot from anywhere, handle the ball and finish at the rim. The Nets star pulls up for three in transition and can get off clean looks over anyone due to his size and length.
Still, Tucker might have been a little too effusive with his praise. No matter how good Durant is, the Bucks need to figure out a solution defensively if they hope to overcome this deficit against the Nets.
Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe Durant and the Nets are simply too dangerous, even without James Harden on the floor.
Can the Bucks inject some life into the series? The two teams meet in Game 3 on Thursday.
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