Kevin Durant responds to Scottie Pippen’s criticism via Twitter originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Basketball Twitter has had its hands full this week with a back and forth between Hall-of-Famer Scottie Pippen and future HOFer (and Maryland native) Kevin Durant.
Here’s how it all started: in an interview with GQ published earlier this week, Pippen criticized Durant for not being able to take his Brooklyn Nets squad to the Eastern Conference Finals. Pippen compared Durant to LeBron James and argued that James would’ve been able to accomplish what Durant was unable to.
“KD, as great as his offense was, it turned out to be his worst enemy because he didn’t know how to play team basketball when it came down to it. He kept trying to go punch for punch. LeBron would’ve been better in that kind of situation because he would’ve used his team to pick them apart,” the former Chicago Bulls legend said. “KD can score better than LeBron, but has he surpassed LeBron? Nah…LeBron would’ve figured out how to beat that team and wouldn’t have been exhausted and he may not have taken the last shot.”
Pippen referenced Durant’s last-second three-point attempt in Game 7 vs. Milwaukee. With the Nets down by two with less than one second on the clock in overtime, Durant hoisted a turnaround triple with a chance to win the game—he air-balled. However, despite Brooklyn’s loss, it should be noted Durant posted a 48-9-6 stat line in that game, setting the record for most points ever scored in a Game 7.
Durant took to Twitter:
“Didn’t the great Scottie pippen refuse to go in the game for the last second shot because he was in his feelings his coach drew up the play for a better shooter??” KD posted in reply to a Tweet about Pippen’s comments. But it didn’t end there. Durant went on to claim that Bulls players did not ‘follow’ Pippen during their spectacular run in the 90s, but rather head coach Phil Jackson:
Pippen, as of post time, has not responded to Durant’s tweets but did ask another question that set NBA Twitter on fire wondering how Durant’s Nets’ teammate, Kyrie Irving felt about the former Bulls’ star’s comments.