Scottie Pippen is after people, and his latest victim was Kevin Durant. Pippen went after the Nets star, saying he’d never be like LeBron James.
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After being bounced in the second round by the Milwaukee Bucks, Durant and the Nets are sitting at home watching the rest of the NBA playoffs like the rest of us. While Durant did everything he could to bring the Nets back from one devastating injury after the other (Harden and then Kyrie), it wasn’t enough.
The Nets lost a tough game 7 in which KD missed some clutch shots in overtime. Because of that, Pippen thought it was apt to call Durant out for his lack of team play.
Scottie Pippen on the difference between Kevin Durant and LeBron James pic.twitter.com/hO7QZJY9gp
— Top Ball Coverage (@TopBallCoverage) June 24, 2021
“Kevin Durant Isn’t LeBron James” According To Scottie Pippen As He Disses The Nets Star
The lack of team play may not have been up to Durant in the end. He was by far the best and most consistent producer for the Nets in their series against Milwaukee.
In game 5, he played all 48 minutes while putting up a massive 49 point triple double. He followed that up with an equally monstrous performance in game 7, playing 53 minutes and scoring 48 points, the most ever in a game 7.
In fact, the Nets would have almost won that game if Durant hadn’t been wearing some big shoes:
It can sometimes be a game of seconds or inches, and tonight, a place in the Eastern Conference Finals and a shot at the @NBA Championship came down to 2 inches of Kevin Durant’s shoes!! 😞 pic.twitter.com/wJ31nGnMy6
— CoachBillyMims (@CoachBillyMims) June 20, 2021
As for Durant not being a team player, well…you might want to double check that Scottie. Durant did miss some key shots down the stretch, but that doesn’t mean that he wasn’t playing with the team. James Harden was struggling to shoot with a sore hamstring and the Nets next best option was Bruce Brown.
Given the conditions, I think it’s safe to say that Durant should have been the one bringing the ball up and taking all those shots down the line. In the end, it wasn’t his individual play or selfishness that doomed the Nets, it was the injuries and fatigue. For once, NBA Twitter may actually be right about something:
James Harden one of the other best in the world what you mean lmao? KD gave it up because he was tired that’s why he took that tired shot at the end, James Harden just ain’t want no part and gave it back to him. He ain’t getting no pass cause it’s the same thing all the time lol.
— H.C.Joyner’s Son (@JoynerJared) June 20, 2021
Of course, given Harden’s injury, being sympathetic to him is the right path, but still, you see why Durant had to take matters into his own hands.