Getty Devin Booker (left) and Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns.
The Phoenix Suns welcomed Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs into town before their game on April 5. Before the two teams took the court, Popovich was asked about how he would prepare to stop a player like Kevin Durant on the court.
“He’s the best. You can’t stop him. There’s no way that he can be stopped. Now, you can go double-team him for 48 minutes and he’s smart enough to give it up. But that usually doesn’t happen,” Popovich told reporters.
In the eight games Durant appeared with the Suns during the regular season, they were undefeated and he averaged 26.0 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
Some of the game’s greats have made similar statements about Durant, a 13-time All-Star, four-time scoring champion and two-time NBA Finals MVP.
“What he does is unbelievable,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said in 2021 story in The Athletic. “Being 6-11, being able to shoot over everybody. The way he can handle the ball and get to his spot is unbelievable — one of the best I’ve ever seen in my life.”
And Kobe Bryant said in 2018 that “was the one that I retired without really being able to figure out what it is — how I can stop him.”
Popovich on Durant: ‘Nobody Knows How Hard He Works’
One of the most gifted offensive threats in NBA history, Durant has the size and versatility on offense to present a nightmare for defenders. But, Popovich said, it is Durant’s work ethic that makes so him so unique.
“Nobody know how hard he works,” said Popovich, who got an up-close look at Durant when he coached the 2020 U.S. Olympic team that won a gold medal. “Nobody knows what he does before or after practice, especially after practice.”
His April 5 comments echo those he made in January, when Durant was still with the Brooklyn Nets.
“When [Team USA] practices were over, not just the other players but the coaching staff, we’d all be mesmerized,” Popovich said, according to The New York Post. “[We would] watch him go through his individual workout. He’d go over at one of the baskets — usually [Jazz coach] Will Hardy would take him over there — and he busted Will Hardy’s butt for like 45 minutes chasing balls and throwing it back to him as he did his workout. … It was just his way.”
Popovich referenced his time with KD on Team USA.
“Nobody know how hard he works. Nobody knows what he does before or after practice, especially after practice.”
Described how KD would go through 25-35 mins of hard workouts after practice and everyone was watching in amazement.
Suns Superstars Shining Ahead of Playoffs
The Suns would go on to defeat the Spurs 115-94 that night, with Durant finishing with 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, five rebounds and two assists. The Suns have been firing on all cylinders as of late, thanks to the sensational play from Kevin Durant and fellow star Devin Booker. With just three games left in the regular season, Phoenix will looking to keep up their momentum moving forward.
During the last six games, Phoenix has posted an impressive 6-0 record, including winning seven of their last ten outings. Booker has started to play some of his best basketball of the year, averaging 28.8 points in his last 10 games while shooting 51.3% from the field.
Durant has also started to contribute at a high level for the Suns, giving Phoenix a dangerous combination of scoring threats on the wings. In his last four games, Durant is averaging 24.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. What’s been the most impressive has been his efficiency as Durant is shooting 51.5% from the field and 50.0% from three-point range.
Momentum can be a dangerous thing for a team, especially if they can carry that energy into the playoffs. With both Durant and Booker thriving, the Suns starting lineup looks as dangerous as ever. Now the team will monitor the Western Conference standings to keep an eye on who their potential matchup can be for the opening round of the playoffs.