NBA Rumors: Kevin Durant Not Content With Warriors’ Performance, ‘We Have Got To Be Better’
The reigning NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors, have struggled earlier in the 2018-19 NBA season after being hit by multiple injuries. However, when Stephen Curry and Draymond Green returned to their roster, the Warriors immediately found a way to return to the winning column. As of now, Golden State has won seven of their last 10 games and is currently sitting in the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference with a 20-10 record.
However, Kevin Durant believes that the Warriors are still far from playing at their full strength. After a close victory against the rebuilding Sacramento Kings, Durant said that the Warriors became complacent and showed some inconsistencies with their performance on both ends of the floor. After dropping 76 points in the first half, the Warriors were outscored by the Kings in the second half and finished the game with just a five-point lead.
“We have got to be better,” Durant said, via Sporting News.
“We can’t have lows like that, especially when we are playing a solid game in the first half. We can’t have lows like that because in the playoffs. If we do, we are going to lose. We weren’t disciplined. We were shooting shots just to shoot them, throwing passes just to pass them — no sense of urgency, no purpose… Against a young team like that on the road, they are looking for something to let them back in the game, and we just let them back in.”
ICYMI: I spoke with Stephen Curry & Kevin Durant a bit on to what extent they care about trying to win another regular-season MVP award, if at all. https://t.co/qbJUAdRVaa pic.twitter.com/ES8TZOlaRy
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) December 16, 2018
Kevin Durant has the reason to be concerned about the Warriors’ performance, especially when they play like that against a team like the Kings who have no legitimate NBA superstar and a roster mostly consisting of young players. However, Durant admitted that he loves how the Warriors performed in the final minutes of the game where they managed to overcome a 10-point deficit.
Durant believes the Warriors play better when they decide to simplify everything. To regain the lead, the Warriors made huge stops on the defensive end and shot the ball as fast as they could. The Warriors’ road to their third consecutive NBA championship isn’t as smooth as what most people think. Aside from remaining healthy throughout the season, the Warriors should find a way to make DeMarcus Cousins fit on their roster when he returns from an injury.
As of now, NBA teams who want to challenge the Warriors in the Western Conference continue to find ways to improve their current roster. If they won’t improve their consistency before the real battle begins in the playoffs, the Warriors’ dynasty could come to an end this season.
