The Phoenix Suns will face the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the 2023 playoffs, which means Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will go head-to-head for the first time in a postseason series. The two future Hall of Famers were teammates on the Oklahoma City Thunder and had a lot of success together, but OKC never won a title during the Durant-Westbrook era.
After the Clippers beat the Suns on April 9 to clinch the fifth seed in the West, Westbrook told Andrew Grief of The Los Angeles Times and Law Murray of The Athletic that he’s excited to face Durant.
“For me honestly getting back into the playoffs is more important,” Westbrook said. “Matchup and all that, I’ll figure out in the next couple days, but excited just with the matchup and just play and compete at a high level, which we haven’t probably played a series against each other. It’s probably the first I think? I don’t remember. So yeah, it’ll be good. Exciting.”
The Suns will have home-court advantage in the series. They went a perfect 8-0 with Durant in the lineup after acquiring the superstar forward from the Brooklyn Nets in February. KD averaged 26.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists with Phoenix while shooting 57.0% from the field, 53.7% from beyond the arc and 83.3% from the free-throw line.
Kevin Durant Wants Chris Paul to Be Aggressive on Offense
After the Suns defeated the Denver Nuggets on April 6, Durant said it’s “very important” for All-Star point guard Chris Paul to be aggressive on offense. CP3 scored 25 points against the Nuggets while hitting a career-high seven 3-pointers.
“It’s very important,” Durant said. “We just need CP to read the game like he always been reading it since he was in college, high school. So whatever the game tells him to do, he gonna go out there and do it. Tonight, makes seven 3s, only two assists. We so used to him gettin’ close to double-digit assists every game, but it’s good when you’re unpredictable.”
Paul averaged a career-low 13.9 points in 2022-23 while shooting 44.0% from the floor and 37.5% from 3-point range. However, the 37-year-old finished the season strong by averaging 21.0 points over his final three games.
Could the Suns Lose Deandre Ayton This Summer?
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report reported on April 8 that the Dallas Mavericks may try to trade for Suns center Deandre Ayton if superstar point guard Kyrie Irving returns.
“Assuming Irving returns, the Mavericks might have an eye (via trade) on Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton,” Pincus wrote. “Per NBA sources, Dallas also eyed Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner and Atlanta Hawks forward/center John Collins before the trade deadline.”
Ayton attempted to leave the Suns last summer by signing a four-year, $132.9 million offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers. However, Phoenix matched Indiana’s offer sheet. Ayton and Suns head coach Monty Williams don’t have the finest player-coach relationship, sources told Heavy Sports.
Ayton, who was drafted by the Suns with the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, finished the 2022-23 campaign with averages of 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in 67 games while shooting 58.9% overall and 76.0% from the charity stripe.
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Clippers’ Russell Westbrook Sends Message on Facing Suns’ Kevin Durant in Playoffs