On Wednesday night, the game was a footnote. The fireworks set off about 30 minutes after the Warriors drubbed the visiting San Antonio Spurs by 39 points — when Kevin Durant spoke to the media.
For the first time in the past nine days, Durant had a press conference.
His prolonged absence coincided with numerous reports detailing his supposed interest in leaving the Warriors and joining the New York Knicks this upcoming summer. Durant is likely to opt out of the final year of his contract after the current season. One recent New York Times report went so far as saying Durant leaving for New York “has never felt more real to the Warriors themselves.”
Durant had distanced himself from the hoopla, but he decided to confront it Wednesday, in the form of several outbursts directed at the media. Durant told reporters to “grow up,” leave him alone, and let him play basketball.
To watch Durant’s full postgame interview, click here.
Minutes after Durant departed the interview room, Stephen Curry gave his perspective on his teammate’s situation.
“Honestly, I think it’s him not being able to control his own voice,” Curry said. “In terms of, like, obviously he is talking about it from time to time throughout the year. He is focused on basketball, and that’s what he should do. We want to see that KD every day. What he can’t control is BS that happens in the media or people making the decision for him or all this other stuff.
“In terms of him just playing basketball, focusing on what happens out there on the 94 feet, being there for us as teammates, and us being there for him, that’s what he can control. And I think he’s doing a great job of that. All that other stuff, I wouldn’t call it a distraction. It’s just more so, from his standpoint, frustrating. The way he plays basketball and the way he is as a teammate and all that type of stuff, that’s all we’re worried about, and I think he’s doing a great job of that.”