Kevin Durant living up to the Slim Reaper nickname after a 35-point clutch performance vs the 76ers.
Kevin Durant raised and knocked down two game-altering shots. The first was a step-back fading jump shot going to his left. Two possessions later, he took Paul George and hit a contested layup that ultimately gave the Phoenix Suns their 118-116 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. In the corner stood Bradley Beal, as he watched Durant enter takeover mode. After the game, Beal spoke to reporters and revealed exactly who his teammate is down the stretch.
Kevin Durant doing Kevin Durant things. Suns are up by 1#SunsUp pic.twitter.com/Thx3zYbx3p
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) November 5, 2024
“This is my second year playing alongside him, so I know exactly who he is,” Beal said. “He didn’t say a word in the last three minutes of the game. You could just tell that K’s locked in, so just give him the ball and get out of the way. It’s a blessing to have a guy like that on your team. We excel when he’s aggressive. He’s one of the greatest ever.”
Durant has been aggressive and then some this season for Phoenix. In his 16th year, he’s still playing into his prime. He’s averaging 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Also, Durant is shooting 54.8% from the field and 43.6% from three. In the last five games, three of those have been where he’s scored 30 points or more.
Against the Dallas Mavericks, he hit tough shot after tough shot. Durant even made the “too small” gesture to Luka Doncic as he iced the game. Fast forward to Monday, there was no celebration of the sort. However, it was the simple cool, calm, and collected Durant once again. Even after his exceptional game, he made sure to give props to his teammates, and himself.
“We had proper spacing,” Durant said. “First of all, Grayson (Allen) grabbed an incredible offensive rebound, and I just shot a quick three there. I was feeling good about myself, so I pulled that one but Grayson had a great offensive rebound which trying to set us up and once you get that offensive rebound, they were scrambling a little bit.”
Kevin Durant continues to have elite efficiency with the Suns
© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
It was arguably Durant’s most efficient game of the season. He shot 14-for-20 from the field and 2-for-5 from three. On a night when Devin Booker wasn’t shooting well, they needed everything from the Slim Reaper. As a result, the Suns’ fanbase erupted in cheers en route to their sixth win.
Phoenix head coach Mike Budenholzer has been around all-stars and All-NBA players for much of his coaching career. From Tim Duncan to Giannis Antetokounmpo, he’s seen greatness firsthand. Since landing back in his home state, Budenholzer has coached Durant, instead of competing against him. Budenholzer explained how Durant’s skill is crucial for moments like these.
“Tonight is an example of why he’s such a great player, makes tough shots, can make something out of nothing,” Budenholzer said. “His length, he can do so many things to put the ball in the basket. The last one is great to get an offensive rebound to get that extra possession. In the matchups, they had their big on him away from the basket, and he was able to drive them and finish. Kevin was great.”
His Suns’ teammates have praised Durant’s leadership, as it’s a leading-by-example approach. For the team, it’s paid off tremendously. He’s played the most minutes, averaged the most points, and been one of the most efficient. The Suns face off against the Miami Heat on Wednesday before traveling to Dallas and taking on the Mavericks. They’ll look to secure their seventh win of the season with Durant possibly exploding for another big game.