With one of the most open NBA postseasons in years, there’s no clear title favorite right now, but the LA Clippers picked up one big endorsement: Kevin Durant.
“If I had to choose — and I hate doing that s— because you never know what could happen, you seen that with us last year — but if I had to choose, I’ll go with Clippers and Bucks for the championship,” Durant said on the “Play For Keeps” podcast. “And I’ll go with the Clippers.”
Entering the Orlando restart, the Clippers are in the upper tier of favorites, right alongside the Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks. ESPN’s BPI Playoff odds give the Clippers a 10% chance to win the title, behind the Bucks (49.7%) and Lakers (18.7%). Durant says he sees the Toronto Raptors playing the Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals, and the Lakers and Clippers matching up in the West.
“They’re just so deep,” Durant said of the Clippers. “They haven’t had their whole team together at once for a long period of time yet, and that talent is just undeniable. When you have [Paul George] and Kawhi [Leonard] at the wings, that’s what you need to win is wings. You got those two at the wings, arguably top three, top four at the wing position on one team.”
Durant has been out since tearing his Achilles in the 2019 Finals but says he plans to be ready to go for the 2020-21 season. While his Brooklyn Nets are in the bubble and in good position to make the playoffs in the East, next season will finally see the Durant pair with Kyrie Irving.
“I was at a level where I was focused in on every possession, so I want to get back to that point,” Durant said of his comeback.
Durant also discussed the polarizing Irving, defending the mercurial point guard for being transparent.
“What does misunderstood mean?” Durant said. “I think the truth sometimes can hurt a lot of people. When you tell the raw truth, especially in this society, it’s frowned upon. And Kyrie just tells it like it is. There’s no sugarcoating.”
