Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
West is won, but work not done for Warriors
Kevin Durant does not need to be told that the Warriors should have a muted celebration after winning the Western Conference finals.
He is fully aware a tough challenge awaits them. It’s why Durant signed with the Warriors and why Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green embraced him at the expense of their own stats. “We have a bigger goal in mind,” Durant said. Experience has taught him that winning the West is no reason to relax or celebrate. As a 23-year-old with the Thunder in 2012, Durant saw his team get steamrolled by the Heat in a five-game Finals.
“It’s a little different now, obviously,” he said. “I feel we could definitely be better.”
The Warriors have a chance to earn their second championship in three years after sweeping the Spurs with a 129-115 victory Monday night. The Warriors became the first team in league history to open the playoffs 12-0, which provides them with a week of rest prior to their third straight Finals appearance.
They will host Game 1 on June 1 against either the Cavaliers or Celtics, but Curry indicated the Warriors are expecting a rematch with LeBron James and Co.
“We all know, obviously, who we’re going to play,” Curry said. “We’ll be watching the Eastern Conference finals to see how that unfolds, but it will be easy to start this new chapter and really just lock in on what’s in front of us.”
Facing the Cavaliers will resurrect chatter of the Warriors’ collapse in last season’s Finals, where they squandered a 3-1 series lead.
“This is a different year, different group, different journey,” Curry said.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said to credit talent as the sole reason for the Warriors’ current run is disrespectful.
“That’s not everything that describes them,” Popovich said. “This is maybe the best defensive team in the league on top of everything. They execute at the defensive end (and) on offense no team is more unselfish.”