Kevin Durant can change narrative by leading Phoenix Suns to title, says Jamal Crawford
TNT NBA analyst Jamal Crawford said superstar Kevin Durant can change the narrative on his legacy by leading the Phoenix Suns to an NBA championship, which would be their first ever.
“You’ll look at him in a totally different light than maybe anybody because he gets so much crap for the two championships he won in Golden State even though he was the finals MVP for both those championships,” said Crawford on a media conference call Thursday with fellow TNT NBA analyst Greg Anthony.
Durant is a two-time NBA champion, winning Finals MVP in leading the Warriors to back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018, but has drawn eternal criticism for leaving Oklahoma City to join Golden State, which won an NBA-record 73 games and eliminated the Thunder in the conference finals the season before in 2015-16.
“That’s just the narrative out there, but if he wins a championship in Phoenix and obviously being the top dog there if they won it, I think he would change his legacy more than anybody else winning a championship,” Crawford added.
The sixth-seeded Suns open postseason play Saturday at third-seeded Minnesota. Durant is in his first full season with the Suns after coming over in a blockbuster deal before last season's trade deadline.
Anthony said the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers are the two playoff teams whose championship window might be closing with their current core heading into this year's postseason. He based that on each team having great players at the end of their careers.
LeBron James is 39 years old and in his 21st season while Durant is 35 and in his 17th NBA season.
The seventh-seeded Lakers will face the defending NBA champion Nuggets in the first round beginning Saturday in Denver. A second seed, the Nuggets swept the Lakers in the conference finals last season.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Jamal Crawford: Kevin Durant changes narrative with title in Phoenix
