Kevin Durant thinks the vibes have been up the whole season.
Even with the Phoenix Suns’ four-game winning streak, the season hasn’t been what many thought. From the Suns having mental lapses to numerous lineup changes, there have been a variety of hurdles and obstacles. Either way, the team hasn’t wavered.
While outside perspectives might tell another story, the players and coaches within the locker room feel that the vibe is good. Even Kevin Durant spoke during Wednesday’s shoot-around about the locker room camaraderie.
“I feel like we’ve always been a tight group,” Durant said via AZCentral’s Duane Rankin. “I feel like we’ve always had each other’s backs. Like I’ve been saying, a lot of stuff didn’t have to do with chemistry or guys didn’t like each other.
“Sometimes we just didn’t have the right scheme that night or we didn’t make threes that night.”
Some of the problematic schemes have occurred on the defensive side. With rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro in and out of the lineup, the defense severely tanked.
Funny enough, Dunn was one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. Even as a rookie, his defensive presence and energy are a much-needed element to Durant and Devin Booker’s scoring. The two superstars have been able to feed off of that. It’s also allowed them to focus more on the offensive side. Since the emergence of Dunn, Durant has won the Western Conference Player of the Week.
He averaged 27.3 points on 58.8% shooting, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game during that stretch. Still, a team isn’t comprised of only one player alone. It’s the whole roster, the coaching staff, the organization, and the fans.
Kevin Durant sees the Suns locker room together
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Ironically enough, there were reports in February about the Suns’ locker room being toxic. While Durant and others dismissed the locker room rumors, it only added more fuel to Phoenix’s fire.
However, the past four games have been exceptional. Although some games have been closer than others, there’s a renewed vigor and spirit within the team.
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Some of the Suns’ recent success could be desperation. Some of it could be playing the rookies. Either way, that newfound energy is essential and has been a catalyst for the Suns.
Again, throughout February and the trade deadline, tensions seemed to be at an all-time high. Durant and his team had their energy zapped.
Anytime there was a turnover or a bad play in a game, the team looked deflated. Now, it’s a forget-and-move-on mentality. For instance, the Suns had 16 turnovers compared to the Milwaukee Bucks’ seven.
Furthermore, the Bucks had 27 points off of those turnovers. Either way, the win was a combination of Durant’s scoring ability, Booker’s clutch ability, and the overall excitement of the team.
A Dunn dunk electrified the arena and took the roof off of PHX Arena. It was easily the loudest the fanbase was all season. As a result, the team rallied around it and used it for their win.
At the end of the day, Durant’s comments about the locker room show the consistency within it. None of the players have had tensions with one another.
Even from the coaching staff. There might’ve been disagreements, but the locker room hasn’t been lost. Still, their efforts might be too little, too late if they lose to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.