Kevin Durant’s first appearance in a Warriors game was profoundly forgettable, 19 fitful minutes he’ll never get back but surely is happy they’re relegated to the past.
He’s even happier this performance came in a preseason game.
Durant missed shots he’s going to make, missing seven of his nine shots. He committed turnovers, three giveaways he’ll for the most part avoid as this season goes on. That it’s over, just like the Warriors’ 97-93 loss to the Raptors, is the best thing about the events of Saturday at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C.
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“I feel like I should make every shot,” Durant told reporters in Vancouver, “so of course I was frustrated.”
The shooting was uncharacteristic, but not unusual giving his new surroundings.
Durant was greeted with a collision of cheers and boos, something he’ll have to get used to. This is how it’s going to be for the Warriors this season, and most certainly for the four-time scoring champ who left Oklahoma City to come to the Bay Area.
“I heard more cheers than boos, to be honest,” he said. “But I was just so locked in, trying to get ready for the game, I wasn’t really focused on (the reaction) or listening too hard for any boos or anything. I heard the cheers, though.”
Golden State Warriors
Durant’s line: 9 points, four rebounds, three assists, three turnovers and one block.