The Denver Nuggets easily dismantled the Phoenix Suns and advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the second time in four years, 125-100. Nuggets superstar and two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic tallied a triple double with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in the game.
The game was actually close in the first nine minutes of the first quarter but Denver started to hit some threes to break the game wide open. The Phoenix all star duo of Devin Booker and Kevin Durant struggled mightily in the first half and much of the game with Durant only scoring 23 while Booker just managed to get 12 points.
Suns guard Chris Paul again sat out this game due to an injury. DeAndre Ayton was also out with a rib injury but even if those two players played, Denver looked like the superior team in this fairly entertaining series.
Kevin Durant, arguably one of the best players in the history of the game hasn’t won a championship since he left the Golden State Warriors a few years ago.
He fell flat with his time in Brooklyn even though he had a superteam in his disposal and this time around with Phoenix. Is he cursed because he blatantly jumped to a championship contender with Golden State in order to get his first ring and leaving the Thunder instead of grinding it out with Russell Westbrook more than five years ago?
It seems that is the current case as he had to do it all for the Brooklyn Nets for a few seasons as his former teammates Kyrie Irving and James Harden were not available much of the postseason before.
He had a similar fate with Phoenix this year as Chris Paul also went down with an injury in this series. Now at age 34 and with a history of significant injuries under his name, it seems like the championship window is closing for Durant and Chris Paul.
Ever since his stint with the Warriors, Durant has never made it past the second round. He gets flak because of the way he abandoned Westbrook and also for leaving a perfect situation with Golden State.
No doubt that he’s one of the greats but he will always be a tier below the likes of Micheal Jordan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and even Stephen Curry.
Where Phoenix will go from here will be a huge question for their organization. Obviously, Ayton wants out of Phoenix as he can’t take criticisms from his coach and teammates throughout his time there. A change of scenery might be good for the disgruntled big man and former number one overall pick.
They threw the entire kitchen sink for KD for a chance at their first championship but the pipe was still clogged and they don’t have much assets to work with this upcoming offseason.
With Chris Paul, his play regressed this season and age is clearly catching up to him. He’ll be 39 next season with a history of injuries that’s typical for a point guard who’s trying to beat father time.
Will Kevin Durant win another championship? What do you think?
