Two days after Kevin Durant gave an NSFW response to the fans, the Phoenix Suns All-Star was prepared to do the same on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
After the Suns were outscored 41-19 in the second quarter, plenty of fans headed for the exit. There was a sense of defeat around the team. However, the third quarter had plenty of positive momentum.
Following a scoring run at the end of the quarter, the fourth quarter was the inverse of the second. The Suns outscored the Clippers 43-22 in the quarter, and Durant alone had 19 points.
Still, the unsung Suns guard, Collin Gillespie, received praise from Durant. His 10 points and clutch 3-pointer were huge. The roof blew off of the PHX arena for the first time in what felt like forever.
When asked about how engaged the fanbase was, Durant circled back to his point on Sunday. He called that game against the Minnesota Timberwolves embarrassing for the fans.
Fast forward, and it was almost the same. However, the 119-117 win against the Clippers left the crowd engaged. Durant explained what he saw from the Suns’ fanbase throughout the game.
“I mean, just looking around after we were down 20, you see, it looked like they were having a terrible time,” Durant said. “And I hate putting that type of product on the court. I know we should focus on the game, and focus on the game plan, and not look into the crowd and not engage with the crowd and keep professional, all of this s*** they tell us.
“But I surveyed the crowd and see, because we need them, we need that energy. So, I looked around and just looked dead. And the only way to spark it up is to make some plays, see a ball go through the rim, but we did to start that fourth.”
Kevin Durant credited the fans for the Suns’ comeback
Durant went on his personal 8-0 run to start the quarter. In a primetime game with plenty on the line, it proved why the Suns traded for the All-Star.
His elite shot-making is one-of-one. Even with Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard draped all over him, it didn’t matter. The 19 points and shooting 69% from the field with a +21 in the box score is quite impressive.
He nearly scored the entirety of Los Angeles’s fourth-quarter points. Despite that metric, there is still some work to do. The second quarter had the fans getting ready to get out of the arena.
However, many stayed and booed the team. That was something Durant didn’t appreciate and gave an interesting explanation as to why.
“I always wonder what booing is going to do for your team,” Durant said. “It actually makes no sense. If you really want to make your voice be heard, just get up and leave and we’ll feel that more than you booing.
“I’m saying when we down 20, we need you to get a little louder in there and cheer a little louder. That was my thing once I started talking to the crowd; it’s just like, yeah, booing has been a part of sports culture for the last 50, 60 years.
“I think it’s about time we put that up. Just get up and leave if you don’t feel like watching this team play bad basketball now, and we will understand. That will make us feel even worse, you know, seeing y’all getting up and leaving, but the energy that they show how loud they get on a good night. It’s second to none.”
Kevin Durant knows the Suns have more work to do
Any comeback win deserves recognition. Still, it won’t sit right with Durant. A win like this is nice, and the team will enjoy it, for the time being.
Before the Suns take on the Denver Nuggets on Friday, they’ll be on a four-game road trip. Even with the team without their home-court advantage, Tuesday’s win is something that Durant will take with him.
“We got to start the second quarter better; that’s really the game, 41-to-19 (in) the second quarter,” Durant said. “We’ve started the second quarter giving (teams) a 12-2 run every game it felt like. So, we got to be better in that area. We fought uphill all game, but the fourth quarter was special, man. The (arena) was on fire.”
The next time that the Suns are on their home floor will be against the Sacramento Kings on Friday, March 14. The last time the two teams squared off in Phoenix, Sacramento came away with the victory.
With both teams vying for a play-in spot, it could be a playoff-type atmosphere, as it was on Tuesday.
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