NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant admitted Saturday night that he “thought too much” throughout the first-round series against the Boston Celtics and that it was a factor in his poor play.
After being held at 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting in a 109-103 loss that put the Nets in a 0-3 series hole, Durant manages 36.5% (19-to-52 ) of the field in three consecutive losses to the Celtics and could not find a rhythm against Boston’s stubborn defense.
“I’ve just been thinking too much, to be honest, this whole series,” Durant said. “How I approach the game. We have another game to play, another opportunity and I’m looking forward to it.”
After averaging over 30 points per game in March and April, Durant is averaging just 22 points per contest in the first three games of this series. The Celtics made it a point to be physically with Durant throughout the series, throwing body after body at him to slow him down.
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“I feel like I tried to be too aggressive in the first two games,” Durant said. “A team that charges me, that tries to get me out of all my actions. I felt like I was still trying to force the first two games and watch movies, a lot of my teammates were open and knocking down shots, so I felt like my approach to this game was to play off against everyone – to get into the flow of offense and let the ball move and find me.
Durant said part of the reason the Celtics were so successful against him was because “they have more size than we do.” He was thoughtful after Saturday’s defeat but conceded it wasn’t the first time in his career he felt he was thinking too much on the floor.
“Every team I’ve been on is just trying to figure out how best to play,” Durant said. “When you also have good teammates around you, you’re trying to figure out, I’m trying to figure out how to be the best version of myself and not get in the way of my teammates. Sometimes I think about it too much.. Sometimes I need to get out there and just [have] no thoughts in my head and just play.
“I feel like I’ve prepared properly. It’s a matter of making small decisions in the game that might not go in my favor. I thought I found my teammates better than I did in the last two games. I just have to score more goals.”
After Game 3, Durant, Nets coach Steve Nash and the rest of his teammates searched for answers they didn’t have. Nash attributed Durant’s struggles to “a little bit of everything”.
“Obviously they load him up, send him bodies, physically deal with him. … I think it’s the casual turnovers,” Nash said. “I don’t think Kevin needs to go. We shot a good percentage, we moved the ball. It’s just the ones we just gave up. Bad decision making, no connection, easy passes and they go to the other that was for me the difference in all three games.”
Durant has committed 12 turnovers in the first three games of this series. As a team, the Nets have signed 48. Veteran forward Blake Griffin said the Nets “didn’t have the right spirit throughout the game” on Saturday.
“I’m pretty sure K has had games in his past where he didn’t play as well as he wanted,” said Nets guard Kyrie Irving. “I had games like that. … And that’s just this basketball game. It’s a game of averages, man game, where one guy comes in hot and there’s just one cold snap.”
Irving added: “But this is no time to hold our heads or point fingers. I just have to go home and put on the bulletproof vest.”
Durant, who played 46 minutes in Saturday’s loss, is averaging 43 minutes a game over the first three games of this series. He refused to allow the extra minutes as an excuse for his poor performance.
“I don’t think fatigue sets in,” Durant said. “I feel good playing. I’m not out of breath. My body doesn’t hurt. I wouldn’t blame it on that.”
When asked how he was finding his rhythm, Durant said he could “maybe shoot more.” With the Nets one game away from elimination, Durant doesn’t need motivation to be ready for Game 4.
“Man, we know what it is,” Durant said. “I don’t think a speech or anything else is enough at this time of year. You know what it is – we’re 3-0 down. … On Monday we will come out and play.”