“29 points off our turnovers, that’s a game. I can’t lead the team in turnovers”. In the aftermath of the Phoenix Suns’ matchup against the Indiana Pacers, Kevin Durant had laid down an ultimatum. While he set it for himself individually, his initiative would further motivate his team to do so. Unfortunately, the same failed to materialize during the recent Suns-Pistons game, as turnovers took precedence! To make matters worse, a quarrel reportedly took place between the star player and Mike Budenholzer. However, even after losing the game, Durant chose to not brood over the alleged ‘spat’.

During the post-game presser, Kevin Durant addressed the ‘dispute’ that had taken place between him and the Suns’ head coach during the 3 quarter’s timeout. Addressing the recent matchup as being “intense” and “emotional”, the 2x Finals MVP that things are not as bad as they are being made out. After all, he believed that “Regardless of how it looks on the outside, we still can have those conversations. We know we got the microscope on us, so any little spat like that may be taken the wrong way, but coach respects my perspective. I’ve been a part of this league for 18 years, at the highest level. So, if I say something, it’s not just a, you know, ‘talk back’. It’s something I really feel like, (is) gonna benefit us on the floor”.

Kevin Durant’s remarks came in the aftermath of a matchup, wherein he may have attempted to fix his mistakes incurred in the previous game. As a result, the lead scorer went on to record a whopping 43 points! He was able to make adequate use of his shooting opportunities too, as he recorded 14-26 (53.8%) field goals, 4-9 (44.4%) three-pointers, and 11-11 (100%) free throws. Unfortunately, Kevin Durant personally also allowed 8 turnovers to come from his side! As a result, they recorded his efficiency rating at the end of the game to be -9. The player’s personal lapses only contributed to the Suns’ eventual 133-125 loss against the Detroit Pistons.

As of now, we don’t know whether this troubling issue was the reason behind Kevin Durant and Mike Budenholzer’s ‘spat’. However, the player seems to have absorbed any advice that his coach may have given up in light of the lapse.

“I got to be more patient,” said Durant. “Most of the time when I turn the ball over, it’s because I’m trying to play too fast. When I see a trap, I get so excited that we got numbers… So, I just gotta slow down and try to relax a little bit more.”

Kevin Durant’s remarks are just one part of the story. After all, while he may feel something different, the Suns head coach may feel otherwise. However, from the looks of it, even the 55-year-old is not willing to make too big of a deal about the ‘spat’.

Mike Budenholzer praises Kevin Durant while undermining the severity of the spat “If you don’t have a few of those…….”

During the post-game presser, reporters also asked Mike Budenholzer about the 3rd quarter timeout incident. Instead of choosing to reveal too many details about what occurred, the head coach simply said, “In games, there’s things that happen, and he’s the best. He’s a pro, he’s coachable. If you don’t have a few of those, there’s probably something wrong with your team. KD’s the best. He wants to be coached, and I love being around him”.

From what Budenholzer had to state, the matter was nothing but a simple disagreement regarding opinions. If things continue at the same pace for the Phoenix Suns, more such incidents may continue to occur as well. Furthermore, with this recent loss, the team has now slipped down to the 11 seed on the points chart. Therefore, Suns fans can only hope that Kevin Durant has taken the constructive criticism to heart. After all, time is slipping away for the Phoenix Suns.