Here is everything that Suns forward Kevin Durant said after his team’s 23-point comeback win over the LA Clippers.
On the Suns’ crowd:
“Just looking around, after we were down 20, it seemed like they were having a terrible time. I hate putting that type of product on the court. I know we should focus on the game and focus on the game plan and not looking to the crowd and not engaged with the crowd, keep it professional. All of this sh– that they tell us. But I survey the crowd and see, ’cause we need them. We need their energy. So I looked around, it just looked dead. So only way to spark it up is to make some plays. See the ball go through the rim, and we did to start that fourth. We got to start second quarters better, that’s really the game. Forty-one to 19 in the second quarter, we started the second quarter, gave up a 12-2 run every game it feel like … the fourth quarter was special, man.”
On his controversial exchange with coach Mike Budenholzer:
“That’s what usually happens when you don’t know the dynamics of a relationship. You catch something on TV, you get a quote, and now you’re pushing that narrative as if me and Bud don’t do that sh– all the time. We competitors. That’s two individuals who want to see things done the right way. And sometimes, my way ain’t the way that Bud want to do it, and vice versa. And he allows me as a player on the team, a veteran on the team to voice my opinion. If we both didn’t care, we would not have had stuff like that.”
On his talks with Budenholzer after that:
“I wish they cut to that and slow-mo’d that, when me and him coming to a solution together. We smiling on the bench and tapping each other on the chest and slapping hands hard. I wish they would post that on Instagram and Twitter and say, ‘Wow, this is leadership right here.’ But when we do that other sh–, that gets the attention.”
On how much the Suns needed this win:
“This is a fun win. It was two ends of the spectrum, it’s about the worst you can get through the first three quarters, just how we played in that second quarter and in that third quarter and then just to change the tide that quick and to play that type of basketball. We were playing faster, we were covering for each other on defense. We got shots early in the clock as opposed to late in the clock. We weren’t turning the ball over much. We were swarming on defense, getting rebounds. That’s Suns basketball right there, and that’s how we need to play moving forward.”
On Collin Gillespie’s performance in the fourth quarter:
“I always love how Collin is poised. And, he’s a dog. He cares. He’s one of the loudest in the locker room last game, and he ain’t contribute a minute to that disaster. And he came out and was pissed off after the game last game. So, you can tell when he got another opportunity, he was going to make the most of it and go out there and play his game. And every time he steps out on the floor, he’s been doing that even in the [G-League]. In the G, he’s just dominant. But up here (in the NBA), he comes and leaves a mark, plays extremely hard. I love playing with him.”
If this type of win can be a pivotal turn for the playoffs:
“I told the guys, we should not even focus on the big picture. Everything should be right in the moment. If this is what we focus on, the next possession should be most important. We would love to say that this win is going to ignite us and push us to win some in a row and have a storybook ending of us going to the playoffs. All that stuff, it sounds good to say. But for us, it’s all about the next day matters, next possession matters. We can’t focus too far down the line because we don’t got that luxury to do that. Stay in the moment as much as we can, enjoy where we are and put your best effort in that moment and see what happens.”
On his relationship with the Suns’ home fans:
“I always wondered what booing is going to do to your team. It actually makes no sense. If you really wanted to make your voice be heard, just get up and leave. We’ll feel that more than you booing. So we need energy, you know what I’m saying? We down 20, we need y’all to get a little louder in there. That was my thing once I start talking to the crowd.
“But the energy that they showed and how loud they get on a good night is second-to-none. I wanted to ignite that as much as possible. I’m sitting there like, ‘Yo, what the [expletive]. Get your ass up. Do something for us.’ They responded well. It’s nothing but love with this fan base, they always supporting and always showing up and selling out every game that I played here. I think they really enjoyed this win tonight. This is the type of win, this is the type of team they can get behind if we play this brand of basketball.”