Are the Warriors vulnerable heading into the NBA playoffs?
At the very least, Kevin Durant concedes Golden State is not invincible.
Whether it’s OKC or one of the other West foes, the Warriors may have a fight on their hands in the first round. My convo with Kevin Durant about this Steph Curry-less challenge and the reality that the defending champs are far from invincible now https://t.co/UqIaFzffmS
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) April 3, 2018
KD says he can’t afford to hang his head should Stephen Curry miss the start of the postseason due to his injured knee.
Per USA Today:
“If Steph comes back, obviously we’ll all be excited and we’ll be a better team,” Durant said. “But if he doesn’t, I can’t hang my head about that. I’ve got to go out there and play as hard as I can. Klay (Thompson) has to go out and play as hard as he can. Draymond (Green), everybody down the line.
“Everybody has to be on point, because it’s a team game. We all move as one. If two or three guys aren’t focused on the play, you’re still going to lose. It doesn’t matter. That’s what I learned (through) winning a championship. If we get there, that’s what we’re going to have to do and that’s why it’s so hard.”
The opening round possibilities are suddenly compelling – none moreso than the one that’s on display tonight when the Warriors face Durant’s old team in Oklahoma City.
“We know how good Houston is,” he began. “We know how good OKC is. We know how good Utah (is), because we play these guys, you know what I’m saying? That’s why we know the narratives, because we come in and we play Utah and we know they’ve gone 22-4 (now 22-5) since they beat us (on Jan. 30).
“It’s cool that people (looked) at us like we’re invincible, but we’re not, and you see it with the injuries that we have. We’re not superhuman. I think when we play basketball the right way, we’re damn good. But if we don’t come out there and focus, we can lose to anybody, and you’ve seen that.”
