Kevin Durant claims his Warriors team was talked about more than this 76ers team. Only problem is this is vastly different than he thinks.
The Philadelphia 76ers have superstars looking over their shoulders.
Kevin Durant was asked if he felt that this 76ers team could be a contender, and his answer was simple.
“Hell yeah, I think they’re going to be a contender. They’re going to be a great team to watch," Durant said.
Durant also referenced how people scrutinized a team with three 20-point scorers, and it happened to be the team he joined in the Golden State Warriors.
There’s just one big difference here: this team hasn’t won a championship. On top of that, one superstar isn’t joining a team that beat them to make it to the NBA Finals, especially considering the team broke the record for most wins in a regular season. When Durant joined the Warriors, it changed the landscape of the NBA. So there are definitely some differences in why the criticism isn’t the same.
LeBron James has had his share of criticism, as some believe he is the one who started the “superteam” era. There can’t be blame placed on Durant and James; they should not share some of that. When Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, and James joined forces, they made it justifiable to constantly have three superstars on a team.
It can be said that the athleticism and talent of all the young players add to the need of having high-caliber players if they want to stay competitive. When facing teams like the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Oklahoma City Thunder, you’re going to need to score if you want to stand a chance.
Notice how all those teams are in the Western Conference? That emphasizes the drive to get to the Finals, and the East is going to have to be stifling on defense but potent on offense. The 2025 NBA Champion New York Knicks won with a mix of scoring and smothering defense.
This is something the 76ers have now that they shored up that defense with the addition of Jaylen Brown. The defense is complimentary to his offensive game, and it’s just another added bonus for Philadelphia.
All of these things complement the idea that Durant's comparison is a little off base. You can’t really be criticized just based off of scoring. The team only has two true superstars, while the rest are All-Stars. It doesn’t change the viewpoint of everyone watching the NBA. It surely doesn’t make someone look and go, "This is unfair." It just makes you look in awe at the potential of one team.
There’s one thing Durant said that’s very true: this will definitely be something that’ll have everyone watching.
