The Phoenix Suns couldn’t have found themselves in a better situation. The Los Angeles Clippers, coming into Game 3, announced Kawhi Leonard would miss the match because of a knee sprain. However, instead of blowing away the Clips right from the get-go, Kevin Durant and Co let Russell Westbrook intimidate them for a long time.
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While none of the visiting players were hitting shots other than Norman Powell, they were not letting the game away. At halftime, the Clippers were just three points behind the Suns at 54-51.
KD especially got heckled a lot by his former teammate and his team. And some experts and fans believe this is what teams need to do against these Suns.
NBA Twitter led by Skip Bayless has found a Kevin Durant antidote – Russell Westbrook
From a mid-team this season, the Suns became one of the favorites to win it all after trading for Kevin Durant mid-season.
They looked scary good before the Playoffs started as they came into it 8-0 when the 4x scoring champ was playing for them. However, with him on the team, they struggled to win a game against a Clippers team playing without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
And so, Skip Bayless and NBA Twitter think, the way the Clips are playing, is the way to stop Durant and his Suns.
Obbviously the new book on Kevin Durant – as written last playoffs by the Celtics – is to get physical with hi, rough him up, knock him out of rhythm. Tonight it’s working. He looks intimidated.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 21, 2023
Kevin Durant is playing soft, tentative basketball, letting Wstbrook outhustle and outscrap him. Must play with more force and authority.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 21, 2023
Russell Westbrook clamps on Kevin Durant is different, he has two steals on him in the first half 👀🔥 Russ owns KD ‼️ pic.twitter.com/Mhd4eQ48jk
— Beastbrook (@Beastbr00k0) April 21, 2023
Westbrook needs to be studied as how well he only plays vs Kevin Durant
— Demon King (@StarBoyiBz) April 21, 2023
Westbrook is having arguably his best playoff series
Oh, I remember him averaging 26 and 37 points in the 2016 and 2017 Playoffs, but neither was as impressive as he has been as a team leader in this year’s post-season.
While has been awfully inefficient in shooting under 35% both from the field and the three-point line, every bit of his 18.5 points, 8 rebounds, 6.5 assists, a steal, and 2.5 blocks per game were necessary to win Games 1 and 2.
While he shot much better in his 30-point, 11-assist-effort Thursday night, and did his bit with KD as well, it wasn’t just enough for them to win Game 3 because they couldn’t have enough on the defensive side of the ball, with PG and Kawhi, both out.
