The Phoenix Suns secured a 120-113 victory over the Charlotte Hornets at Footprint Center in an NBA regular-season matchup. Suns superstar Kevin Durant faced the challenge of consistent double-teaming from the opening tip but still managed to shine on the court.
Despite the Hornets’ defensive strategy, Durant posted an impressive stat line, scoring 27 points—becoming the Suns’ second-highest scorer—while also contributing eight rebounds and five assists.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Durant explained how the double coverage he faced opened up opportunities for his teammates to capitalize on open looks. “You know the law of averages, guys gonna knock those down if you keep giving them looks,” Durant said. “And we got a healthy amount of those looks throughout the game and we was able to execute there in the fourth quarter”.
The Hornets’ focus on doubling Durant was evident in the Suns‘ balanced scoring distribution. Of the nine Suns players who checked into the game, six finished in double figures, illustrating Durant’s point about trusting his teammates.
Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball under pressure from Cody Martin #11 of the Charlotte Hornets during the second half. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
“Sometimes it’s a little weird,” Durant admitted. “I always talk to the bench about that, the opposing team, but they just telling us they rather live with my teammates shooting open shots, which is crazy to me”.
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Durant on facing double teams
Durant admitted that starting games under heavy defensive attention can sometimes throw him off, as it did against the Hornets. “It throws me off sometimes too when you start the game swarming and doubling and zones behind me when I get the ball and all five eyes watching me,” Durant shared.
Despite this, the two-time NBA champion views the strategy as a sign of respect and remains committed to utilizing his teammates in such situations. “I take that as a sign of respect, but I also want to go out there and play too. But if you’re going to take me away, then I’m going to utilize my teammates,” Durant explained.
Devin Booker on double teams targeting Durant
Suns star Devin Booker also weighed in on teams choosing to double-team Durant, explaining that most opponents would rather risk open looks from other players than allow Durant to operate one-on-one.
“Yeah, I mean I’ve been on the other side of that,” Booker said. “You wouldn’t even call it a tough shot at this point, 30,000 points in. So, it’s a business decision you have to make, and the majority of the teams are going to run a double”.
