Warriors' Steve Kerr on Kevin Durant's playoff run, Michael Jordan comparisons and KD as 'best player in the world'

Joe Morgan

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Warriors' Steve Kerr on Kevin Durant's playoff run, Michael Jordan comparisons and KD as 'best player in the world' image

Following the Warriors' Game 6 series-clinching win against the Clippers, a reporter asked Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams if there was anything Los Angeles could have done defensively to slow down Kevin Durant, who had just scored 50 points on 15-of-26 shooting.

"We tried everything," Williams said. "We had several different coverages for KD."

"They didn't work," Beverley interjected with a laugh.

MORE: Curry, Green praise Durant after Game 1 win over Rockets

Ever since he gave us the wonderfully cocky "I’m Kevin Durant" quote, the four-time NBA scoring champion been on a mission to show the league that he’s not only the best player on his team, but that he’s dethroned LeBron James as the best player in the world. So far, the mission is on track.

"Kevin’s run these last couple of weeks, it’s just been off the charts," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after Golden State’s Game 1 victory over the Rockets. "I’ve said it a few times this week. He’s the most skilled basketball player on earth. He’s one of the most skilled basketball players to ever play the game. There’s never been anyone like him."

For the past two years, detractors have made the case Durant won two NBA championships as the second-most important player on his own team behind Stephen Curry. The rings and two NBA Finals MVPs are nice, but Durant had to join forces with three other All-Stars in order to get them. There's been some truth to that.

This playoff run feels different, though. Durant's greatness cannot be shoved aside in this moment.

His playoff numbers are staggering. Over the past six games, Durant is averaging 38.3 points (52.4 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from 3-point range), 5.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks. He’s been the best player on the floor by far for the first two games of Golden State's second-round matchup with Houston, one that includes the reigning MVP in James Harden.

Durant has dominated with a dizzying array of shots. The Clippers tried to put the pesky Beverley on Durant in the first round. Durant realized after Game 2 that he could simply shoot over Beverley. The Rockets have tried to run a handful of defenders at him. Let's steal Beverley's words here — yeah, that "didn't work."

MORE: Could Clippers land KD and Kawhi in free agency?

To understand just how impactful Durant has been over the course of this postseason run, Sporting News caught up with Kerr prior to Game 2 of the Warriors-Rockets series to discuss, as Kerr puts it, the best player in the world.

Sporting News: You mentioned Michael Jordan after Game 1 when asked for a comparison to Durant’s run over the past few weeks. I’m curious if you think it’s almost more difficult for Kevin to put up the numbers that he has over the past five games. MJ didn’t have the scorers around him that KD does. He has to get Steph and Klay [Thompson] involved as well.

Steve Kerr: It’s true from a scoring standpoint. During the regular season, Kevin routinely took a backseat for our guys. And it speaks to the kind of person and player he is. He doesn’t mind going 6-for-8 and scoring 16 points. But he has a different mentality. Michael’s mentality every game was, "I’m going to crush the world." Kevin takes a different approach.

But what this five-game run tells you is this is what we need to win games. That’s one of the best reasons to compare Kevin to Michael. Come playoff time, defenses are geared up and ready for everything. That’s when they become the most lethal. When it’s necessary in order for the team to win because there is no scheme that’s going to work, they’re going to find a way to get their shots.

SN: In the Clippers series, you made it clear that you wanted him to take more shots — 20-25 shots per game. When do you think he decided that it was time for him to get aggressive and take over?

SK: I thought it was after Game 2 because we lost, and it was a strange game. It was a bizarre game, really. But because we lost there was a greater sense of urgency from Kevin and from everybody. I think he knew that he had to be more aggressive. The next two games in LA he dominated, and actually all five games since he’s dominated.

SN: Is he going to have to continue this with Steph and Klay banged up?

SK: Yes. Every game is going to be different, but the way our team is structured, we’re pretty top-heavy with our scoring. And teams can scheme like the Clippers did, like Houston does, to take away some things that Steph and Klay can do. If they do that, it means we have to lean on Kevin more heavily.

But maybe Steph and Klay get loose, and we get transition hoops, break the game open and Kevin doesn’t need to do as much. That would be ideal. But that may not happen.

SN: In the Clippers series, it seemed to get a little personal with Patrick Beverley. Do you think there’s also a rivalry with James Harden as far as wanting to prove that he’s in the same MVP breath? Because he doesn’t get the same recognition as he has in the past.

SK: I think Kevin wants to be recognized as the best player in the world. And I happen to think he is. Now, on our team, he doesn’t need to show it. He’s not stat crazy. He’s not a guy that chases numbers. He’s content to let other people score. But in the playoffs, when it’s absolutely necessary that he becomes aggressive and takes over games, this is his time to take over. And it’s when everyone is watching.

And to me it’s pretty obvious watching the playoffs who the best player has been.

Joe Morgan