Kevin Durant raised eyebrows with his comments after the Cleveland Cavaliers blew out the Phoenix Suns 118-92 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Monday. The Suns struggled against the Cavaliers’ zone defense and when Durant was asked about it in his postgame press conference, he stated his teammates needed to press the issue and threw some shade at head coach Mike Budenholzer.
“Just can’t pass around in the perimeter,” Durant said. “That’s what they want us to do. We still gotta try to break the paint. They got guys just sitting in the paint… It’s a tough defense to score on if you thinking a shot is going to come open for you without you pressing the issue.
“So, I think we could’ve drove it a little bit more, but we don’t play against zone every game,” Durant added. “We don’t have a zone package yet. We’re not familiar with what we’re doing. So, on the fly you get the zone thrown at you, it can be tough. But that’s what great teams do, they make adjustments throughout the game.”
What is the bigger shock here? The fact that the Suns do not have a zone package 42 games into the season or that Durant openly admitted that they don’t? It is hard to pick one over the other, but not having a package might just get the edge.
Sure, the Suns don’t face a zone defense every game, but that’s no excuse for not having a package for it. You have got to be prepared for everything when you step out on the court and this is negligence on the part of the coaching staff. Budenholzer and his assistants better put the package in soon.
As for this game, the Suns started well, as they kept pace with the Cavaliers. The score was tied at 27 at the end of the first quarter but the hosts then went into a zone defense to slow down the visitors.
The Cavaliers went on a 15-5 run to start the second quarter and never looked back from then on. They managed to limit the Suns to just 6-19 (31.6%) shooting from the field in the quarter to seize control of the contest. The Cavaliers led by as many as 32 points in the second half and this was just a complete beatdown.
Durant was the only Suns player to have some sort of success on offense against the Cavaliers, as he finished with 23 points (9-16 FG), seven rebounds, one assist, and two blocks. It was a solid showing by the 14-time All-Star, but solid isn’t good enough when facing the Cavaliers, who have improved to 36-6 on the season.
The Suns, meanwhile, dropped to 21-21 following this blowout loss. They entered this contest with five wins in their last six games but the Cavaliers showed once again that this is not a team that can compete with the best in the league.
Perhaps, the Suns realize that as well, as it would explain why they are reportedly interested in Jimmy Butler. Will Butler’s addition make them a contender? It’s hard to say but he’d certainly make them better.
The Suns will be in action next against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET. You’d expect them to win that one but they did lose 127-117 when the teams met earlier this season.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
