The Brooklyn Nets have recently been swept by the Boston Celtics, and there’s no doubt that this was a disappointing end to the season for a team that had championship aspirations at the start of the year.
Kevin Durant was widely viewed as the best player in the world prior to the playoffs. At one point, when debating whether Giannis Antetokounmpo was the best player in the world, Stephen A. Smith even claimed that Antetokounmpo “ain’t Kevin Durant”.
“Kevin Durant, if he’s wearing a size 12 or 13, Giannis goes home. You sit up here and bring that up but you just conveniently forget that. Kyrie was out and James Harden was playing on one leg…. you know good and well Giannis ain’t KD! Let’s pump the brakes now! Giannis is great, he’s phenomenal. He ain’t Kevin Durant.”
While a lot of people previously agreed with Stephen A. Smith’s stance, it seems as though some have already changed their minds. Recently, Skip Bayless declared that until Kevin Durant gets an opportunity to avenge a sweep, there is no case for him as the best player in the world.
Until Kevin Durant has an opportunity to right this four-game wrong, I can no longer make the case he's The Best Player on the Planet.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 26, 2022
Until Kevin Durant has an opportunity to right this four-game wrong, I can no longer make the case he’s The Best Player on the Planet.
There is no question that the playoff series against the Boston Celtics has altered the way that people view Kevin Durant. He definitely struggled against the Celtics’ physical defense and performed poorly for a large part of the series.
With that being said, part of his struggles is due to the fatigue of having to carry the team through the regular season. Kevin Durant tallied 37.2 MPG this season, his highest since the 2013-14 season.
Hopefully, Kevin Durant gets an opportunity next season to show that he is the best player in the world. He is still a top-tier superstar, and perhaps we’ll see him come back with a vengeance next year.
