Former NBA Star Credits Kevin Durant for Saving Stephen Curry’s Legacy After Warriors 2016 NBA Finals Run
Former NBA star asserts Kevin Durant saved Stephen Curry's legacy post- Golden State Warriors' 2016 Finals run. Get to know more on impact of Durant's move on Warriors.
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Not everyone is against Kevin Durant during this rough phase of scrutiny. In a recent podcast episode of Gil's Arena, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas weighed in on the impact of Kevin Durant's move to the Golden State Warriors on the legacy of Stephen Curry.
Arenas pointed out that Durant's decision to join the Warriors after their 2016 NBA Finals defeat to LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers was a strategic move that ultimately proved beneficial for Curry's legacy.
Arenas defended Durant, emphasizing that the criticism directed toward him for joining a team that had defeated the Thunder in the playoffs was misplaced. He highlighted the Warriors' record-breaking 73-9 season in 2015-16 and argued that the addition of Durant was necessary for them to compete against LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
"The Warriors, a 73-9 team in the 2015-16 season, added additional firepower just to beat LeBron James," Arenas stated. He further added that it was the Golden State Warriors' decision to bolster their roster with Durant that should be scrutinized, rather than Durant's choice to accept the opportunity.
Durant's tenure with the Warriors was marked by success, as the team went on to win back-to-back NBA championships in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. Durnat’s partnership with Curry proved to be a formidable one, solidifying the Warriors as a dominant force in the league during that period.
Also Read:Kevin Durant's Mom Reveals She Wished He Stayed With the Warriors 'We Would've Had 20 Rings By Now'
Reflecting on his time with the Warriors, Durant shared his perspective on his departure from the team in a 2022 interview. He expressed that his motivation was not about chasing individual accolades but rather a desire to play basketball in a different setting after experiencing defeat in the NBA Finals.
"I just wanted to play ball somewhere else. But a lot of people see it as I’m chasing something," Durant explained. "I had just lost in the Finals. I wanted to go back and win the Finals."
As the focus now shifts to Durant's new chapter with the Phoenix Suns and Curry's leadership with the Warriors, the impact of Durant's time with Golden State and his partnership with Curry continues to resonate in the NBA landscape. Both players are poised to leave their mark on the league as they aim for further success in their respective teams.
The legacy-saving move by Kevin Durant to join the Warriors and his successful partnership with Stephen Curry not only reshaped the NBA landscape but also cemented their places in basketball history as two of the game's brightest stars.
Also Read: Kevin Durant Brutally Roasts Keyshawn Johnson Over His Paul Pierce-Warriors Analogy
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