DURANT WARRIOR PA RIN

CLEVELAND – Sa pananatili ni Kevin Durant sa Golden State Warriors ay nakahanda ang koponan sa kanilang kampanya sa susunod na taon na makopo ang ikaapat na NBA crown sa limang season.

Nakompleto ng Warriors ang NBA Finals sweep sa Cleveland Cavaliers noong Biyernes sa pamamagitan ng 108-85 paglampaso at 4-0 pagbokya sa  best-of-seven championship series para sa back-to-back titles at ikatlong korona sa loob ng apat na taon.

Nakopo ni Durant ang kanyang ikalawang titulo at ikalawa ring NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award,  kung saan humataw ang power forward ng career playoff high 43 points sa Game 3.

“I’ve just got to keep getting better,” wika ni Durant.  “I think I’ve got a lot more to go. So I’m just trying to prove to myself that I could just stay in it for the long haul, and hopefully I continue to have some success.”

Si Durant ay pumirma bilang isang free agent sa Warriors noong 2016 hindi para sa pera na maaari niyang matanggap saan mang koponan, kundi para tulu­ngan ang Golden State at makasama sina versatile forward Draymond Green at key guard Klay Thompson, gayundin si 3-point sharpshooter Curry.

Ayon kay Durant, aayusin na lamang niya ang final details sa ma­yamang kasunduan para manatili sa Warriors, na magpapanatili sa kanila bilang ‘team to beat’ sa susunod na season.

Sabik na si Durant na malaman ang magi­ging progreso ng kanyang young teammates sa susunod na season.

“I want to see Jordan Bell come back a better player. I want to see Quinn Cook come back a better player. I’m excited to see how they come back next year,” ani Durant. “I know the veterans are going to come back and do exactly what they need to do.

“Looking forward just to different tricks that we use throughout the season next year. I can’t wait.”

May ilang history motivation para sa susunod na season. Tanging ang 1960s Boston Celtics dynasty ang umabot sa limang sunod na NBA finals, at ang tanging koponan na nanalo ng apat na korona sa limang taon ay ang Boston squad at ang 1950s Minneapolis Lakers.

“I haven’t really thought about it,” pahayag ni Stephen Curry sa kung gaano katagal maaaring maghari ang Warriors. “Any question that kind of talks about the future and whatnot, you don’t want to cheat the moment.

“We’ll have plenty of time over the summer to talk about what next year’s going to look like and what it’s going to take for us to get back to this stage next year.

“I really just am happy to be a champ again. If I get another opportunity next year to come back into the finals, I’m going to have the same attitude about winning a championship and whatever happens, happens.”

Ang pananatili ni Durant ay mag-uudyok ng isa pang off-season ng ‘superteam’ building ng mga katunggali sa pagsisimula ng deal making sa Hulyo.

Noong nakaraang taon ay bumuo ang Houston at Boston ng top talent kung saan muntik na silang makapasok sa finals.

Maaaring samahan ni Cleveland star LeBron James sina NBA scoring champion James Harden at Chris Paul sa Houston o ang young talent sa Philadelphia upang mabigyan ng mas matinding hamon ang Warriors. Ang  Magic Johnson-guided Los Angeles Lakers ay inaasahan ding kukuha ng free agents.

“Next year, we’ll think about that later,” sabi ni Warriors coach Steve Kerr. “It really is such a long haul to win an NBA championship. It’s a nine-month grind… going through this four years in a row, it’s a major grind.

This year was the toughest. Next year will be even tougher.”   AFP