Monday, January 31st, 2011 at 9:00 am  |  236 responses

Kevin Durant on Chris Bosh: ‘Fake Tough Guy’


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

It’s kind of amazing when you consider it: Despite the public breakup with his old team, the winking ads, and occasionally controversial Twitter declarations, LeBron James is arguably not the most disliked member of the Miami Heat.

Chris Bosh has managed to continuously draw the ire of the public this season, and yesterday afternoon in Oklahoma City, he got under Kevin Durant‘s skin.

The two exchanged words early in the game, and following the Miami Heat‘s tough road win, Durant explained what his issue with Bosh was.

The Oklahoman has the quotes:

“He was telling Harden to dunk on me,” Bosh said. “He said dunk the next one. I expressed that, no, he’s not going to dunk that. And he expressed, yes he is. We just kind of went back and forth. I don’t think it was anything to get a tech over. It was just talking.”

“I was talking to my teammate and he decided he wanted to put his two cents into it,” Durant said. “I’m a quiet guy, a laid back guy. But I’m not going to let nobody talk trash to me. He’s on a good team now so he thinks he can talk a little bit. But it’s a lot of fake tough guys in this league and he’s one of them.”

“I’m no punk,” Durant said. “I wasn’t even talking to him, first-off. He decided to butt in. I’m not just going to let that slide, especially in our house. He’s not one of those guys that I look at and say he has a rep for talking back to guys or always getting into it. He’s a nice guy. He’s not one of those guys. So I’m not going to let that type of person say something to me like that”

Nothing too controversial there; it’s likely just frustration from a highly-competitive guy spilling over after a difficult loss on national television.

It bears noting, however, that Kevin Durant normally never says anything like that about any opponent, at least not to the media.

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  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    Co-sign zoom.

  • http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/chicago-bulls-confidential/2011 Diesel

    I agree the Gracie’s helped make MMA what it is today, but I have to side with Jukai and say that once true mixed martial artists started taking shape and learning to defend submissions and stuff takedowns, the Gracies lost their luster. Everyone else has evolved into complete fighters and they’re still just jujitsu guys. Roger Gracie is like thier prized jewel at the moment and he couldn’t strike to save his life. Anderson Silva is at his best as a counter striker. He needs someone to bring the fight to him in order to be effective. He has no game plan if the guy he’s fighting doesn’t bum rush him. GSP is the most complete fighter with the most complete strategies to accompany the skill.

  • http://www.need4sheed.com Tarzan Cooper

    Ken shamrock

  • Byebye

    Kobe did fux that girl raw tho
    Kd needs proativ before he starts acting tough

  • Byebye

    Labron 3 str8t mvps lol
    Gotta love labron

  • http://nobulljive.com/ Enigmatic

    Yeah, it’s true the Gracies aren’t what they used to be, ever since Kazushi Zakuraba started taking them down one by one. I still contend Rikson Gracie in his prime though woulda beaten damn near any of these new-school MMA fighters. Dude could grapple, strike, you name it.

  • JTaylor21

    MMA sucks, there I said it. I much rather watch friday night fights than any sorry a** MMA bull on ppv.

  • http://nobulljive.com/ Enigmatic

    To each their own, JTaylor. But most MMA fighters would whoop most boxers.
    To me, when I see boxing, all I see is two dudes hugging each other nonstop.

  • Justin

    It’s amazing how many idiots there are on this site. Everyone always thinks, maybe based on the headlines, that these guys just come out and start saying things about other players. He was asked a question about the verbal exchange by a reporter and he answered. Anyone in the NBA would have reacted the same way Bosh did. Simply saying “no, he ain’t gonna dunk on me” or whatever is minor. Oakley would have said “He tries to dunk on me and that b!tch won’t wake up til next week and he’ll have a tube in his mouth”. Another shiny example of how the people on this site just react to headlines and how SLAM keeps writing them like this because they know what kind of idiotic things are going to be said afterwards

  • JTaylor21

    Enigmatic, I feel ya but I think that boxing is more skill while MMA is more about brute force. I mean if you were allowed to kick, hold and choke, you probably could knock out someone easily but when forced to use your hands only it becomes that much harder. Most boxers would probably get whooped inside the octagon but put them up against an MMA fighter in a ring and I’m betting the MMA guy leaves in a stretcher.

  • http://nobulljive.com/ Enigmatic

    I mean, there’s a lot of skill involved in MMA. You just have to know what to look for. It’s kind of like football, if you don’t know what’s going on, you swear it’s just dudes beating up each other.
    I’m not sure about a stretcher, but yeah I concede most MMA guys would not hang with pro boxers in a boxing ring.

  • http://slamonline.com zoom

    Since slam won’t let me post my comments that possed no profanity or vulgarities, I can’t rebutle but I’ll keep trying to post my responses.

  • HAMMER

    Both boxing and mma to me r just non-sensical. Boxing is dead. Even a pac vs mayweather couldn’t resusitate it. And mma? It basically is a legal streetfight. That’s all it is

  • http://slamonline.com zoom

    Btw excuse the typos

  • robb

    ^^^^^ you don’t know anything about boxing and MMA chump, shut up. “And mma? It basically is a legal streetfight. That’s all it is” the stupidest thing I’ve read in a while.

  • ClydeSays

    Are we really gonna get a player transcription of every bit of trash talk on the court now? Who cares? Shut up and play.

  • http://sdfklf.com Jukai

    Engimatic: No doubt, the Gracies MADE UFC, and in turn that brought out Pride. We can thank the Gracies for MMA. But they are so set in their ways, they don’t want to learn boxing or muay thai or kyokushin. And Yeah, Rickson was probably the best Gracie, but you’re MASSIVELY overrating his striking (weren’t his stirkes mostly dumb Sambo hammer strikes?) and the dude lies about his record on a near Urquidez-like level. 200-0 my ass. You know he’s not really undefeated, right? Some Sambo guy beat him, but Rickson claims it doesn’t count because he didn’t really know about the rules (AKA too much striking).
    I mean, look at what Rickson has trained in: BJJ, Judo, Akido, Sambo, submission (or maybe catch?) wrestling…. he’d probably wreck shop on the level of Damian Maia (all BJJ), but I can’t see him dominating like Silva/GSP.
    Diesel: I think you’re underrating Silva a bit there. Silva doesn’t just go out and straight ATTACK, but it’s not like he’s only a counter-attacker ala Lyoto… dude picks up the lead then sits on it. He’s on the top because he plays MMA like a sport, and not a life-or-death match. I think GSP is closer to Silva than people think, but let’s take in what is actually said: GSP said if he fought Silva and won, he’d retire right away because he’d have beaten the best of all time. Quote. Silva is more talented.
    Tarzan: I hate the Shamrocks, blef.
    JTaylor21: I love MMA, the grapplers can be boring but there’s just more elements to it. And it’s true: Randy Couture OBLITERATED James Toney in the Octogon, and Anderson Silva really hasn’t look all that great in the ring, losing to some nobody from Brazil.

  • JTaylor21

    I know see what MMiller brings to a team because I haven’t seen him play that much before. Dude is a very good rebounder, a good passer, and is always hustling. He’s one of those guys coaches love to rave about bringing intangibales to a team. If Haslem returns before the playoffs, Mia could have a decent bench with him, MM, JJ, EHouse, and Arroyo. Also I love what EHouse brings to this team.

  • Michael

    Jtaylor @ 5.34pm – fair enough dude, although i would say if those fans and media believe he is as good as or better then MJ im pretty sure nothing you say will convince them otherwise so why not just leave it be.

  • JTaylor21

    Jukai, James Freaking Tony, really? I mean let’s at least wait until a boxer of the same caliber of a Anderson Silva goes to fight in th MMA before we start making assumptions. Also would you rather pay to watch a great boxing bout or a great MMA fight?

  • JTaylor21

    Micheal, I feel ya but it’s so hard to resist. I’m not the biggest MJ fan but when I hear the same BS every single day, it grind my gears.

  • http://sdfklf.com Jukai

    JTaylor: James Tony was a bit washed up but still held MULTIPLE championships in many weight divisions. He fought Randy Couture, who is five years older and had to gain weight for the bout. He didn’t fight Brock Lesnar or Cain Velasquez, he fought a second-level heavyweight who really should only fight in lightheavy (and if you’re not familiar with MMA weight divisions, there’s a big difference in weight).
    And he got beat without throwing a punch. I mean, it was a f*cking clinic on how to take apart a boxer: Couture jumped for the leg, slammed Tony, then pummeled him until Tony was having trouble defending himself and armbarred the dude. It was so damn gratifying.
    And I’m a massive MMA fan, and I sort of find boxing boring so uh, you’d best find a more casual fan to ask that question to.

  • http://sdfklf.com Jukai

    And on that note, Randy Couture and Lyoto Machida should be a fantastical bout.

  • Michael

    im feeling you on that Jukai, Machida is my dude, im also a massive MMA fan so i wont get into the argument with boxing at all because I have never been a massive fan of it, Boxings best years were over before ny time. I will say though there is a lot more skill and technique in MMA then most people realise, I mean, can anyone here roundhouse kick a trained fighter in the head? The speed and precision required to do that is ridiculous, and thats just one technique.

  • http://sdfklf.com Jukai

    Michael: I’m warming to Machida. Dude beat the HELL out of Rampage, but lost fair and square, haha, odd how that can happen. I don’t think his style is cut out for UFC, he’s a pride fighter because he’s defensive and saves his best for one round.

  • Michael

    that was a strange fight, i was pretty undecided since they are both my two favourite fighters. Ever since i saw Jackson powerbomb Arona he has been probably my favourite. That was just ridiculous show of strength.

  • JTaylor21

    Jukai, I guess you enjoy watching two grown men rolling around and grabbing each other (I kidd) Anyways, my boy used to watch MMA a lot and every now and then I would take a sit and try to watch also but I get no excitement watching it. Boxing will be back though I’m sure but the problem is that the two biggest boxers are scared of each other and won’t fight. Just imagine if Ali refused to fight foreman and frazier. Legendary bouts like the thrilla in manila or rumble in the jungle would have never happended.

  • http://sdfklf.com Jukai

    JTaylor21: Boxing fights are too long for me, they drone on and after a while, as you mentioned, it’s just two grown men grabbing each other. There’s also too many weight divisions so there are too many nobodies, and being a champion means nothing.
    I like the rounds in MMA, it’s five minute rounds, 3 of them (five for a championship round).
    I’d pay to see Mayweather vs Pacquiao though

  • http://thephotoriot.com davidR

    jukai, the problem with boxing is that the idiots running the sport are too greedy. they don’t expose it the way mma does. with that said, the casual fan like you doesn’t get to see (or know about) the really great fights. just to name a few great fights that went under the radar in the past decade:
    all 3 ward & gotti fights
    all of vasquez & marquez
    pac & marquez I & II
    barrera & morales
    martinez & williams
    just go on youtube and search for highlights from any of those. currently, the 140 division is prime to explode cause 1-10 all of those guys can probably beat each other. but since none of them are household names, you probably don’t know

  • http://thephotoriot.com davidR

    the other problem is the promotions often won’t let their fighters fight other fighters from rival promotions because they’re scared of their fighter losing and being less of a cash cow. see mayweather for example. as soon as he left bob arum’s promotion, suddenly he can’t get a fight since nearly all of his top rivals were under bob arum.
    i really hate how corrupt the sport has become, and admire how dana white is handling ufc

  • Justin

    How corrupt it’s become? It’s been corrupt for a long, long time. Not sure how this turned into an MMA discussion btw.

  • http://twitter.com/aif03 aif03

    Kevin Durant & Chris Bosh beefin is a fight between 2 of the most malnourished players in the NBA.

  • http://sdfklf.com Jukai

    davidR: Dana White may have his hand a LITTLE too much in the sport. Take Machida for example— Machida beat Rua, yet White thought Machida should have lost and scheduled a rematch right away. Rampage beat Machida and white agreed with the outcome. Yet the controversy and outcry for a rematch from the general MMA fans were nearly equal.
    As a promoter though, Dana White is GENIUS. And when he wants talent, he GETS it— Fedor being the only exception (but Fedor’s a b*tch, so, you know).

  • http://nba.com EJ

    Fake tough guy? Well I can see that, cause he’s also a fake guy.

  • K.a.

    Should call bosh dangerfield cuz he gets no respect

  • kulas

    I don’t know about you guys there in the states but here in asia, MMA and boxing are both liked and there’s a crossover of fans from one sport to the other. We know that a boxing guy will beat an MMA guy in a boxing match but a boxing guy even on the level of manny, mayweather, or klitschko would get beaten in an mma fight. The stances in an mma fight and a boxing match are different, because you are defending against the takedown. You have a wider base, so you can defend when your opponent shoots. Wider base affects your reach etc etc. MMA is interesting because it’s like a chess match, there are so many ways to win that having a 9 or 10 fight win streak is already an accomplishment. What I like in MMA is that “ducking” an opponent happens less frequently and is much more difficult to do, unlike in boxing.

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