Did Kevin Durant’s legacy really take a hit now that the Golden State Warriors have won another title after he left?
A lot of people seem to think so. They argue that the Warriors have proven they can win without him and seemingly are of the mindset they didn’t need him at all in the first place.
Sadly, they can not be more wrong. Please allow me to address this absurd notion.
OPPONENT. Yes, it’s all about the competition. The argument is so simple that I am confused how these people could miss it. If you recall, the 73-win GSW team lost a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals to no less than the greatest player of this generation, Lebron James who also had Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in tow.
We all know how great Lebron is—to some he is even recognized as the GOAT. The year prior, they had lost to the same team but both Irving and Love suffered injuries.
With all three healthy they had the best big three in the game, certainly better than Warriors’ triumvirate of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
Ergo, they needed someone like Durant in order to overcome James and his prolific crew.
CELTICS. No disrespect to the Boston Celtics, the runner-up in these Finals, but nobody is going to mistake Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart for Lebron, Irving and Love.
They are young and talented, but they are not of the same mettle and certainly need a lot more seasoning. When Lebron came back to the Cavaliers, he was already a two-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat.
There is simply no comparison.
The Boston team that this iteration of the Warriors defeated is just not on that level. Ergo, the Warriors were able to defeat them-even without Kevin Durant. So stop the Kevin Durant slander. His legacy will only be affected by his own doing—by what he achieves or fails to achieve in his current team henceforth.
It will not be undone by what happens to his former team. Apples to oranges, guys. Stop comparing.
VERBATIM. “I been dead since July 2016, but congrats to the Dubs and my boy Steezy, a Fillmore legend, man been waiting his whole life for a parade on Market St. - Kevin Durant in his Twitter account @KDTrey5
LAST ROUND. It’s on Eriek Kurniawan who celebrates his birthday today, coming all the way from Indonesia with his mom, Loa Siok Hui. Welcome to the Philippines and to the family. Cheers!