Kevin Durant Postgame Interview - Game 1 - Celtics vs Nets | May 22, 2021 | NBA Playoffs

If that was you on the phone and you on the bus, then who was flickering the lights? June 10th of 2019, came back with 32 tonight in the win. I know I missed a lot of bunnies that felt good leaving my hand, but we stuck with our defense. We didn't let that, you know, get in the way of what we wanted to do out there. We helped each other and boxed out well, so we got to keep that same effort going into game two. Michael Grady with YES Network. And just first off, just the energy in the building, the fans, what was it like being a part of a playoff atmosphere that you guys had tonight here in BK? It was incredible. You know, our fans were loud. They were there early. They definitely gave us an advantage, you know, and it was weird because, I mean, we haven't seen them all season and it was 1,500 there, you know, last couple months of the season. But to see, you know, front row, people at the front row and then see more in the upper and lower bowl, it was pretty cool. And, you know, I'm sure our fans enjoyed the win, but, you know, we want to play better for them as well. Can you explain the difference between, you know, regular season, the communication and the intensity versus getting that feel and that rhythm over the floor of a physical playoff game? Yeah, I mean, we prepared over the last five or six days and just our principles and details. And, you know, guys are locked in on what they need to do individually and, you know, you just feel the season, you know, you feel it in the air that it's playoff time. So guys are understanding how much it takes each possession for us to be on that level of, like, playing great basketball. It's tough to do in the playoffs. So it's a good place to be right now. I'm glad we're here. I'm glad that we got this first one, but we got to get ready for game two. Brian Lewis with the New York Post. Hey, Kevin. The slow start, how much do you attribute that maybe the way, obviously, block and everything inside, maybe that's because or is it you talked about fans different having more fans in there? Maybe you guys are amped up trying to do too much. What do you attribute that to? I mean, I don't know. I mean, I don't know. We made some good looks. I mean, they are definitely playing physical and helping a lot. So you got to give them credit for their defense. But I mean, we I think we missed some good looks. Our shooters, you know, missed some good looks. But for the most part, man, I think we came out there with a solid focus on the defensive side. And we were telling each other, if we continue to do that possession offensively, we'll start to find a groove. And we definitely want to have more movement and make more shots. But if we're on the defensive side of the ball, we give ourselves a better chance when we go through them laws of shooting. Greg Logan, Newsday. Kevin, you came out really aggressive in the third quarter, you guys open with an 18, four run and never lost that lead. What was the key to that stretch, you know, where you just kind of took control of the game? Yeah, I think my second quarter, we got down 12 after Jabari made that three. We settled in a little bit. I know it sounds weird, but we came out of that time out a little bit more settled and was able to cut the lead to six. And we knew, you know, we looked at the score sheet, they made way more threes than us. And we knew that our offensive start to come around. So we just wanted to keep our physicality up on the defensive side. We got a couple of stops to start the third and was able to cruise. Alex Schiffer with The Athletic. Hey, Kevin, you're talking about the defense you guys have in the second half, you held Tatum scoreless from the field. Was there any adjustments there? In fact, just go to what you said about staying on and sticking with the original game plan. Yeah, I mean, he missed a couple that he, you know, he can make for sure. But I think we did a good job of just making them shoot tough ones. And, you know, being up there on the catch and such a talented player that, you know, we can't get discouraged when he makes those shots over us. You know, he made a couple to start the game, you know, tough threes and tough phase. And we was able to, you know, take that storm and keep pushing through and we just try to be physical with him and everybody else. We can't let, I mean, Robert Williams impacted the game, you know, Nate Smith hit a three, Fournier hit a couple. So, you know, them hitting 11 threes, I think a lot of those we gave up. So we got to be watching them and see where, you know, we can control some of that stuff. But we know they're not going to shoot. JT not going to shoot six for 20 and Kimber not going to shoot five or 16 every game. So we got to be ready at one point from the first possession. Christian Winfield with the New York Daily News. Hey, what's going on, Kevin? You guys were down early, but it never seemed like you guys were too far away in terms of just like making up the distance. Is that kind of what it feels like out there? Like you guys can always make up the deficit, no matter what it is. We get stops. If we getting stops and they making shots over a tough hand and we feel good about that, you know, because the law averages the playoff force. But I mean, we, you know, first playoff game, we didn't have that score in the ball. We had that touch that we usually have scoring. But like I said, man, we just stayed with it on the defensive side of the ball. I think that's what we get our energy from is when we guard up and then our fans gave us an extra push. Ian O'Connor with the New York Post. Yeah, Kevin, this was obviously your first postseason game since your injury two years ago. Just curious for you personally, what was it like to feel that playoff intensity and emotion one more time? I mean, it's always a great plan and it's this time of year. You know, that intensity is the next level. It's a different level up from the regular season. So it felt great to be back out there amongst the best teams and best players in the league and looking forward to game two. Last question, Brad Mahoney with AP. Kevin, you and Kyrie and James said almost all the scoring in that third quarter after the rough shooting in the first half. Was there any kind of feeling that you guys needed to shoot your way out of it or was that all just that's the shots were coming to you guys there? Yeah, I mean, we didn't want to stop being aggressive because we missed shots and we tried to tell everybody that like just keep being aggressive and those shots are going to fall, but we got to keep getting stops and we was able to get stops and rebounds and not let them get too many extra possessions. And I think, you know, once your energy is focused on the defensive side of the ball, it'll start to turn for you. So you seen that force in the second half and we picked it up offensively and, you know, but our defense was the reason why. Thank you, Kevin. We appreciate it. I'm not doing the real deal. I've been up and down. Fero, Fero, bro. You're a real kill. Off the liquor and some pills. I've been at this since the church. Tell a baby make it twerk. Aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye, aye. Go crazy. Aye, aye, aye, aye, aye. Go crazy. Bro passed me the rock. I've been moving out the box. Top speed going top. 101 going pop. Getting hot hot hot. And the paint never flop. At the rim like whoo. Get the crown like brawn. Yeah, makin' some and I'm spinnin' some What's the plan, bet I get it done It's me, yeah, neighborhood It's me, yeah, give me some Wifey icy, yeah, freezin' New friends, I don't need them Checks comin' by the spins Kids eatin' off the real ones If I'm not there, what's the real deal? I've been up and down Ferrell Friend or bro, you need a real kill Off the liquor and some pill pills I've been at it since the church Talk lil' baby, make it twerk Ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy Go crazy like that, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy, ayy Go crazy