Kevin Durant Just Wants To Focus On Game 5
OAKLAND (CBS SF) – For nearly a year, Golden State star Kevin Durant has been answering questions patiently about how his joining the Warriors came about.
At every post-game press conference at least one question has been asked. Finally, the star forward is tired of it.
When asked Sunday about a call Draymond Green says he made to Durant in the parking lot after last year's Game 7 loss, the star forward was emphatic with his answer.
"That's false – 100 percent false," he said.
In fact, Durant said he did not even watch the NBA Finals last season which is not unusual for players not on the contending teams.
Still, another reporter pressed him. He had had enough.
"No he didn't make that call – not right after the game," Durant said. "Why does it matter right now? I've been talking about his all season. I'm tired of it."
When it came to Game 5, Durant said the Warriors have to tighten up on defense. It took a historic offensive onslaught for Cleveland to win Game 4 but Golden State is not going to be fooled into believing that that cannot happen again.
"They can do it again. They didn't do by luck," the Golden State star said. "We didn't play up to the level we're supposed to play at. They exposed that and took advantage of it. You have to give them credit for how they played. Not only because we didn't play well, but they came out there and took it to us."
Cleveland also shot 24-of-45 from the 3-point line. Durant said the key to cool them off is hitting the offensive boards and challenging every three. The Cavs had 11 offensive boards in Game 4 – four from Tristan Thompson.
"I think every offensive rebound they got, they might have hit a three," Durant said. "Tristan Thompson got 2 or 3 in the first quarter and Kevin Love knocked down some threes. Then J.R. Smith, he's a streaky player so he hit his first one. We weren't on his body and gave him an open look and he knocked it down. That opened the flood gates for them."
"He hit that one from near mid-court and it looked like a mid-range jump shot…If they make tough threes over us when can almost live with those instead of the stare down, rhythm -- you can make a sandwich before someone can out there and you knock it down."