Getty Suns stars Devin Booker and Kevin Durant
After the Phoenix Suns defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2, Devin Booker ripped OKC fans for booing Kevin Durant.
Durant was booed every time he touched the ball on offense.
Q: You surprised he’s still getting booed like he was booed here?
“Yeah. What is it, 7, 8 years now, my rookie year. People just want to be heard. I don’t know what it is. He did a lot for this organization.”
Devin Booker on Kevin Durant getting booed in return to OKC. #Suns
Durant played nine seasons for the OKC franchise before signing with the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2016 as an unrestricted free agent. KD is first in franchise history in 3-point field goals, third in points, first in points per game and first in player efficiency rating.
The Thunder reached the 2012 Finals, losing to the Miami Heat in five games. OKC had a 3-1 series lead over the Warriors in the 2016 Western Conference Finals. However, they lost the series in seven games, and a few months later, Durant left the Thunder for the Warriors.
Monty Williams Agrees With Devin Booker
Suns head coach Monty Williams is in the same boat as Booker. He doesn’t understand why Durant is still getting booed in OKC.
“I’m still surprised about (why) so many people boo him here,” Williams said. “This fan base is one that I respected for a long time. I get it, you lose a guy like Kevin, but I think at some point, you have to appreciate what he meant to this organization. … He loves this city. He knows what Sam (Presti) and this organization meant to him. I hope someday that they can appreciate him.”
Durant wasn’t affected by the boobirds. The two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP scored 35 points against the Thunder, including 13 in the fourth quarter. Durant shot 13-of-21 from the floor, 3-of-7 from beyond the arc and 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.
“There’s not a way that he can’t score,” Williams said about Durant. “Those kind of players, they want those shots. They’re so used to having the ball in their hands. I wouldn’t call it a luxury because I don’t want to disrespect those moments. Guys work their tails off to be ready for those shots and he and (Devin) Booker are a case in point. That’s what Kevin does.”
Kevin Durant on Deandre Ayton: ‘DA Is a Huge Target’
Durant is getting more comfortable with Suns center Deandre Ayton as each game passes. However, the future Hall of Famer still thinks he and Ayton can improve together.
“Definitely room to grow,” Durant said. “The more reps that we can get, the better we can get. DA is a huge target. He has touch out to the middy. So if we can get him the ball in his positions to score, then that’s gonna make us even more dangerous. Sometimes I drive to the rim, his man gonna come up and help sometimes to contest my midrange and I can just dump it off. I can be more better. I can be better those situations and be more patient. Wait for DA a little bit more in the post, but we gonna get better at it.”
“There’s definitely more room to grow.”
Kevin Durant on working with Deandre Ayton and finding him in the offense. #Suns
The Suns are in fourth place in the Western Conference standings with four games left in the regular season. They are a perfect 6-0 with Durant, who is averaging 26.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists with Phoenix while shooting 60.4% from the field, 51.9% from 3 and 88.6% from the free-throw line.