The Golden State Warriors were one of the most dominant teams in NBA history when Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green shared the floor. Durant helped the highly-touted Dubs win back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. However, former NFL player and Undisputed commentator Keyshawn Johnson made a Paul Pierce comparison that Durant did not like.
Johnson implied that Pierce could have replicated Durant's success with the Warriors had he taken his place:
“If I put Paul Pierce on the Golden State Warriors with Klay Thompson and Draymond [Green] and Steph Curry, you don't think he can do the same stuff?” Johnson proposed during an episode of Undisputed.
Kevin Durant responded to Johnson's take, and the former Warriors forward noted his disdain for such comparisons:
“If the Jets would’ve took Jonathan Ogden, Marvin Harrison, Ray Lewis or Eddie George number 1 they would’ve been better off……I hate comparisons,” Durant wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Is Keyshawn Johnson's take valid? Stats are just one part of a player's impact, but examining Pierce and Durant's numbers during their respective primes yields a better understanding of the comparison.
Durant averaged 25.1 points and shot 37.5 percent on three-pointers during the 2016-2017 season with Golden State. After winning his first championship with the team, he averaged 26.4 points and 41.9 percent during the 2017-18 season.
In contrast, Paul Pierce averaged 19.6 points and shot 39.2 percent from range during the regular season leading up to the Celtics' 2008 title. Pierce's stats do not appear to be as strong as Durant's, but as Skip Bayless mentioned on Undisputed, Pierce won Finals MVP during Boston's 2008 run, just as Durant did in 2017 and 2018.
Fans cannot know for sure if Pierce could have helped the Warriors win as Durant did, but it is an interesting discussion nonetheless.
Warriors look to regain dominance
Golden State went on a brief drought after Durant left in 2019. Yet, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green helped lead the team to another impressive title in 2022. Since then, the competition in the Western Conference has significantly improved. Plus, the Warriors no longer retain the services of Klay Thompson, who departed for the Dallas Mavericks in 2024.
Nevertheless, the Dubs are trying to regain dominance and help Curry and Green to at least one more championship before their time in the Bay Area ends. With rising stars Jonathan Kuminga, Brandon Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Moses Moody, Golden State's future is bright regardless.
It will be interesting to see how the Warriors perform as they continue to prepare for the 2024-25 season.
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