The Golden State Warriors‘ dominant run through the NBA playoffs has brought immediate validation to Kevin Durant‘s decision to join the team last summer.
However, it has also created much disdain stemming from those around the Oklahoma City Thunder. In a recent piece from Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman, he made his feelings about Durant quite clear.
Kevin Durant sat at the postgame podium Monday night, with the hardware from being named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
Fitting. A trophy to go along with his trophy wife.
How else to describe the championship ring that Durant soon will get? Good-looking. Head-turning. Nice if you can get it. Interesting.
Just don't pretend it means anything substantial.
Tramel went on to give Durant credit for his stellar play in the NBA Finals averaging 35.2 points in the series but continued to key in on the ease the success came stating that he “took the Fast Pass at Disneyworld” by joining the Warriors nearly a year ago.
The Oklahoman writer also voiced the repetitive argument that Golden State had such a stacked team full of talent that it was only expected that they would win the title. He also claimed that putting together teams as stacked as the Warriors are a rarity in other professional sports, making it in his mind more a frowned-upon move.
Although there is some truth to the matter that the Warriors have put together quite a talented team, it was earned on the court with Durant leading the way. It could have easily not worked had he not been willing to fit in the playing style and culture that Golden State has developed over the last few years.
It could also be fairly argued that had Durant not been there that the result of the series could have been quite different with the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was the play of 2017 NBA Finals MVP that helped set the table for Stephen Curry to experience a bounce-back performance in the series averaging a near triple-double with 26.8 points, 9.4 assists, and 8.0 rebounds per game.
That said, Durant is going to continue to face a steady wave of criticism for the move regardless of what he does on the court from this point on in his NBA career.
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