Kevin Durant on Warriors, Spurs: 'Not necessarily light years better than us'
The quietest contender has a fiery point guard whose dunks register on the Richter Scale and whose silly pregame dance routines are must-see events, and a former Most Valuable Player whose been known to chest-bump a basket stanchion and howl uncontrollably behind a sideline reporter.
Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have done their part to keep the Oklahoma City Thunder among the NBA elite for the past half-decade. But any noise generated this season by the league's most dynamic duo – and its talented, developing supporting cast – has been muted by the bombastic exploits of the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs.
While conceding that those clubs have had more impressive starts – the kind that make 70 wins seem possible again – Durant doesn't believe his Thunder, with the league's third-best record, are far behind.
"I’m not saying that they’re necessarily light years better than us," Durant told Yahoo Sports. "Those other teams are playing at a crazy, crazy level, winning a lot of games. They’ve won more games than we did. That’s the difference."
Since losing to LeBron James and the Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals, the Thunder have watched James grab a second ring, Kawhi Leonard help Tim Duncan snag a fifth, and Steph Curry capture the imagination of fans by leading a revolutionary 3-point romp to his first. The championship that once seemed destined for Oklahoma City has been delayed by Westbrook's knee, Serge Ibaka's calf and Durant's foot – a three-year run that not only saw the Thunder miss the playoffs last season but also enabled bandwagon types to hop on sturdier-looking alternatives.
"This world loves anything new," Durant told Yahoo. "We’ve been here for so long. But we haven’t won a title. That’s the thing. Everybody loves the new guy, the new team. We’ve just been consistent. We’ve had some tough years, injury-wise. Other than that, we’ve always been here. We’re always considered one of the top teams in the league and we’re always going to continue to work like we’re one of the top teams in the league and strive for that greatness."
Though Durant and first-year coach Billy Donovan won't openly admit it, the success of the Warriors and Spurs has allowed the team to lurk in the shadows during the first half of a high-stakes season. The spotlight would otherwise shine on the Thunder, considering that Durant will be the league's most coveted free agent this summer – with Westbrook in a similar position to leave in 2017. And after a successful run at Florida, Donovan is attempting to elevate Oklahoma City and leave behind the injuries and lack of offensive innovation that contributed to the franchise plateauing under former coach Scott Brooks.
The Thunder haven't been completely ignored because the fans made sure Durant and Westbrook were the only pair of teammates voted to start the All-Star Game on Feb. 14. Evidence of Oklahoma City's below-the-radar existence can be found in the silence surrounding its current run of winning nine of 10 games.
Oklahoma City has still won 24 of 29 since Dec. 6, but that gets lost while gazing at endless Vine loops of Curry's latest trick shot, the Spurs’ sustained dominance and now the drama surrounding Cleveland.
"Everybody is still trying to figure out who we are as a team and what we do," Durant told Yahoo. "I wouldn’t say we’re under the radar, but we’re not as out there as the Warriors, or Cavs or Spurs. But they deserve it. I’m not saying that they don’t. But we’re not on TV all the time, or segments on TV all the time, but we still get coverage. That stuff really doesn’t matter to us. We’re just trying to keep grinding every day and we like where we are."
In the midst of one of the more efficient seasons of his career, Durant has scored at least 20 points in 33 consecutive games and squelched concerns or questions about his thrice surgically repaired foot. Westbrook hasn't stopped putting up MVP-caliber numbers since breaking out in Durant's absence last season. And the organization has perhaps surrounded Durant and Westbrook with the most complete roster since their Finals run.
Durant compares the Thunder's situation to that of the Spurs, a team that usually went ignored in the regular season but was always popping up in the postseason to spoil the fun for those exciting upstarts.
"They were not like a sexy team. They play basketball the right way," Durant told Yahoo. "But a lot of that stuff is built off what fans think of these teams. So whatever the fans want, that’s who is going to be talked about, on top of them being good teams. Coverage every day, it doesn’t really matter to us. We know when practice comes, shootarounds come, it’s just those guys on the court, coaches on the court, and that’s all that matters.”
Oklahoma City defeated San Antonio on opening night, when the Spurs were still trying to incorporate LaMarcus Aldridge, but quickly faded when the adjustment to Donovan yielded a 7-6 start. Losses to Chicago (twice) and Cleveland have also kept the Thunder moving along quietly. The Thunder will face Golden State three times between Feb. 6 and March 3, get a rematch with Cleveland on Feb. 21, and face the Spurs twice in March. Those games should help establish exactly where they stand among the other contenders.
"We don’t need recognition. We don’t really need it. We’re just going to keep working. No matter what, we put ourselves in a good spot right now," Durant told Yahoo. "We're not a newer team. … So, we’re just too consistent, I guess."
