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Kevin Durant Demands Team to Walk the Talk After Suns’ Momentum Halt vs Spurs

Published 03/26/2024, 8:29 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The Phoenix Suns suffered a humiliating 104-102 loss against the bottom-seeded San Antonio Spurs last night. The defeat put an end to Phoenix’s 3-game winning streak. That raises concerns for Kevin Durant and Co. considering they have the toughest schedule in the league for their final 10 regular season games. Before the Suns return to the hardwood, Kevin Durant made a stern demand to his teammates following the loss against a Victor Wembanyama-less Spurs.

KD was not pleased with last night’s loss and had this to say before the Suns’ next game: “We know what needs to be done. Conversation is cool, communication is cool, letting everybody know what we need to do out there, but you still got to put our bodies in action to do it. It’s a difference between going to do something and just talking about it.” Durant believes if his team cannot execute the game plan on the floor, then what they say to each other means nothing.

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Durant claimed the Suns need to work on their transition defense and limiting turnovers during the game. Their lack of defense was evident in yesterday’s loss against the Spurs. Even though San Antonio was playing without their best player, Victor Wembanyama, the Suns were unable to contain their offense during crunch time. Kevin Durant and Co. managed to come back from a 9-point deficit in the final 5 minutes and took a 1-point lead with 100-99 under 3 minutes remaining. However, Jeremy Sochan’s dagger 3 in the final minute ended the Suns’ hopes and proved to be the game-winner for the Spurs. KD and Booker had multiple chances to tie or win the game but failed.

Can Kevin Durant and Co. survive their tough schedule?

The San Antonio Spurs were statistically Phoenix’s easiest opponents of their final 11 games. The remaining 10 games will pose a brutal challenge for Kevin Durant and Co. as they are scheduled to face some of the best teams in the league. They will go head-to-head against top teams, including the Nuggets, Clippers, Timberwolves, Thunder, Cavaliers, Pelicans, and the Kings. All of the Suns’ remaining opponents have a better record than them.

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The Suns are currently 8th in the Western Conference standings with a 42-30 record. Kevin Durant and Co.’s tough schedule could lead to their downfall as the Lakers are lurking close to overtaking their 8th spot. The Lakers have the 7th easiest schedule in the league for their remaining 11 games and are only three wins behind Phoenix. If LeBron James and Co. go on a hot streak to end the season, they could easily surpass the Suns and take their spot in the play-in tournament. Do you think the Suns can hold their own despite having the toughest schedule in the league?

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Kevin Durant & Devin Booker Vent Out Frustration At Suns’ “Unacceptable” Upset Vs Spurs

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Written by:

Rohan Bhaunt

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Rohan Singh Bhaunt, an NBA Writer at EssentiallySports, boasts a background as a divisional basketball player and an NBA enthusiast spanning over a decade. His extensive knowledge of the sport enables him to intricately explore its nuances, presenting a fresh outlook. Rohan's dive into the NBA newsdesk at ES commenced with witnessing LeBron James secure his inaugural championship in Miami.
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Edited by:

Shivatmika Manvi