Kevin Durant doesn’t handle criticism well. The 12-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion frequently lashes out at fans and media members, including those who ripped him for his lousy performance against the Celtics.
Add Kendrick Perkins to that list.
On the “Marchand & Ourand” sports media podcast, Perkins, who works as an analyst for ESPN, shared a story about how Durant responded when the former center said he got “punk’d” against the Celtics in Game 1 of their playoff series against Brooklyn (Durant went 9-of-24 from the floor).
Durant did not react well to Perkins’ comments — surprise, surprise.
“This past series with the Celtics, Game 1: I went on ‘First Take’ and said KD got ‘punk’d,’” said Perkins. “As I’m doing the show in commercial break, I look down at my cellphone and I just saw KD [wrote] something in a text message, I’m like, ‘Here we go.’ So I open the text message, and it’s just a bunch of cuss words. He’s reading me my rights: ‘M’fer this, m’fer that.’”
That is far from the first time Durant has taken issue with his former teammate’s commentary. They’ve been feuding with each other for years, ever since Perkins flipped off Durant while he was talking to reporters during the 2018 NBA Finals. Previously, the two played together for four years with the Thunder.
Back in January 2020, Perkins threw shade at Durant for signing with the Warriors in free agency, calling it the “weakest move in NBA history.”
That was apparently the point of no return.
Durant’s showing against the Celtics was worthy of criticism. He shot just 38.6 percent from the floor and was a virtual non-factor for all four contests. As a TV analyst, Perkins was doing his job calling Durant out.
But don’t expect Durant, a man who feuds with random people on Twitter, to understand that.
“I said, ‘Well go out there and handle your business,” Perkins added.
Durant did no such thing, at least on the court.