KD’s offseason gives OKC much to fear vs. Spurs

PLAYOFF SCHEDULE | EXPERT BRACKETS

Kevin Durant is trying to maintain that he’s been here before, but the truth is that Durant faces a crossroads for his career as he and the Thunder head into Game 2 against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

Twelve hours after the Spurs jumped up and down on the Thunder’s collective head in Game 1, Durant said that the experience of being in this position helps in trying to recover from the stomping.

“Just being in this position before,” Durant said, “losing the first game, going on the road, we just know to try and go out and get one. That’s the mindset we have going into this series, and we’re just excited about the opportunity.”

Players are so often trying to avoid any cracks in the armor. Durant bristled at the idea of urgency later, trying to assert that Monday’s Game 2 isn’t a must-win for the Thunder. It’s meant to try and stabilize the pressure. After all, the Thunder went down 2-0 vs. the Spurs in 2012 and won the series, and went down 2-0 vs. San Antonio in 2014, then came back to tie it up before losing the series in Game 6 in overtime.

However, this Thunder team isn’t that Thunder team, this Spurs team isn’t that Spurs team and OKC’s situation is nothing like what it was in 2014. Specifically, Kevin Durant’s situation is radically different.

Durant’s free agency casts a shadow over the franchise, even if the players aren’t consciously aware of it. Durant could say what he wants about how this playoff series or any other will not determine his decision, but we’ve seen too often players influenced in free agency by …

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