Kevin Durant recently sat down for an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews in which he admitted to being disappointed in the Phoenix Suns‘ Big 3. The Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal-led Suns have struggled in this 2024-25 season and the 15-time All-Star stated the stars haven’t lived up to their own expectations.
“We expect a lot out of ourselves individually, and it just hasn’t materialized the way we wanted to,” Durant said. “It was disappointing to see us play this way and our fans and people who watching the game want more from us, but we can’t think about that. We gotta think about the day ahead of us and trying to get better and figure out how we’re gonna win the next game and go on from there.”
The Suns entered the All-Star break on a three-game losing streak, which dropped them to 26-28 on the season. They had gotten off to an excellent 8-1 start but have fallen apart since. The Suns have the hardest remaining schedule as well, so there is a real chance they don’t even make the playoffs, which would be a disastrous outcome.
Even if the Suns do make the postseason, they’re not going to be making much noise in it. As far as Big 3’s go, this might be one of the least intimidating ones we have seen in quite some time. That’s not to say they aren’t playing well individually, though.
Durant is averaging 27.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game in 2024-25. He has been his usual efficient self too, shooting 53.2% from the field and 40.4% from beyond the arc.
As for Booker, he is putting up 26.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. Beal, meanwhile, is averaging 17.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game.
If you’re wondering why the Suns are still under .500 despite those numbers being put up, there are two reasons. The first is defense. The Suns’ defensive rating of 115.6 ranks 25th in the NBA. The only teams worse off are the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, and Toronto Raptors. Those five have one thing in common: they’re all basically rebuilding.
The second big issue for the Suns is rebounding. They’re averaging 42.5 rebounds per game, which again ranks 25th. The Suns are also allowing their opponents a league-high 12.4 offensive rebounds per game. Put all this together and you get a recipe for disaster, which is what they are at the moment.
The Suns will be hoping for a change in their fortunes post the break. They’ll start off the second half of the season by taking on the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on Thursday at 9:30 PM ET.
Kevin Durant On The Legacy He Wants To Leave
Whatever you may think of Durant as a player or person, there is no denying the fact that he is an all-time great. An entire generation of players looked up to him growing up and he is one of the more influential players of his era. During this interview, Durant was asked what legacy he wanted to leave on the game.
“I just want you to respect the game,” Durant said. “I want you to have fun watching my game, ’cause if you pull up footage 20 years from now I want you to really enjoy those three or four minutes you watching me play. And, hopefully, when they look at me, they can see somebody who has a growth mindset, who has been expanding his game since day one.
“Some people want to be looked at as a worker, to be honest,” Durant stated. “Somebody that’s going to come in there and do what’s required to help the team. Everything else after that is just icing on top.”
It’s safe to say people will enjoy watching Durant’s highlights 20 to 30 years down the road too. His game is so aesthetically pleasing to watch and it’s incredible to see how much he has been able to expand it over the years. It’s a big reason why Durant is still going strong at his age and here’s hoping he sticks around for a few more years.
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