Reporter: “It seemed like [Durant] took over.” Popovich: “It didn’t ‘seem’ like that. That was a fact. I was there. I saw it. He was great.”
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 3, 2012
And that’s why Pop’s the best.
Durant’s performance in Game 4 was not the first dominant performance Popovich has seen in the playoffs. He’s faced some of the greatest in the game, so he’s seen some big moments. This isn’t going to faze him but he is going to appreciate it. and more importantly, Popovich knows that players like Durant are going to have those nights and you can’t stop them or control them. You do your best. But the reason the Spurs lost was not because of Durant, but because of their defense on the rest of the Thunder, which was terrible.
But yes, he saw Durant and yes, he was dominant. Trust him. He was there.