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“So Impressed”: Kevin Durant Admits ‘Love’ For Anthony Edwards After Failing to Avoid Suns’ Premature Exit

Published 04/29/2024, 1:32 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Selfless Kevin Durant hailed Anthony Edwards after the series sweep. The 2x NBA Champion and the Minnesota Timberwolves star enjoyed plenty of intense match-ups throughout the series, with Edwards winning the majority all the while chirping at KD. To take matters further, the young gun played a pivotal part in, if not single-handedly, kicking Durant and the Suns out of the postseason so early.

Following the game, Durant joined the press conference but had nothing but praise for Ant-Man. One of the reporters asked Slim Reaper about his experience planning against the 22-year-old, to which he replied, “So impressed by Ant. My favorite player in the league to watch….love everything about Ant… Just grown so much since he came into the league at 22. Just his love for the game just shines bright… that’s probably that’s one of the reasons why I like him the most” 

While KD dropped some love for the youngster, on the other hand, Edwards dropped friendly banter in return. Speaking at the post-game interview, he said, “It felt great. I got the utmost respect for KD… I’m excited to play with him this summer, talk a little trash, and let him know I sent him home.”

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USA Today via Reuters

The duo had a lot of back-and-forth battles throughout the series. Anthony Edwards‘ trash talk after draining a three-point over Durant became the most talked about moment of the series. Many even considered it one of the iconic moments of this era as they expect AE to become the face of the league in the coming years. Even after the on-court humiliation, KD wasn’t affected by it. Instead, he dropped kind words for the 22-year-old. He said, “Now he’s got confidence. He’s always had confidence as a player.”

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Moreover, following the series loss, KD was seen having an intense moment with Edwards. Durant gave a passionate handshake to the star and hugged him for a brief period. He was also seen dropping a few words in Ant-man’s ears.

How did Kevin Durant perform in the Suns’ 1st round knockout?

Compared to Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant put up a decent performance in the series, averaging 26.8 points with 6 rebounds per game. Nevertheless, he came alive in Game 4 with 70.6% FG and a series-high score of 33 points. This effort enabled the Suns to enter the fourth quarter with a lead for the first time in the series.

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Nevertheless, it wasn’t enough to cross the line. The team lacked support from Beal in the must-win game as he fouled out with 9 points in his 4-13 shooting night. On the other hand, Devin Booker fought till the last moment, dropping 49 points with 6 assists. During these four games, KD barely orchestrated the play, as it was either handled by D-Book or Beal. The superstar dealt with his impressive jumpers and perimeter shooting instead.

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This postseason hasn’t been the greatest for the superstars from the 2010s. With Stephen Curry not making it to playoffs and Kevin Durant already out, only LeBron James is left. That too, he has a herculean task to come back from a 3-1 deficit. Does it mark the end of the Curry,-KD-Bron era? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Shahul Hameed

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Shahul Hameed is a Senior NBA Writer at EssentiallySports. Armed with a Master's Degree in journalism from a distinguished institute, his journey into sports writing began during his college days, and since then, Shahul has been captivated not only by the remarkable consistency of Stephen Curry but also by the enduring legacy of LeBron James. He specializes in covering the live basketball action.
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Edited by:

Jayant Chhabra