The Jazz didn’t seem to be doing much trash talk during Monday’s loss to the Nets, but it’s something Durant is more than familiar with thanks to the likes of Joel Embiid and others who try to do whatever they can to gain an edge over the superstar scorer.
But nothing Utah threw at Durant could slow him down on Monday, when he poured in 37 points to keep surging Brooklyn in the win column as the playoffs approach.
Durant’s performance was followed by a warning from Bruce Brown, for anyone who does believe that trash talking Durant will help gain an edge. Brown wants the league to know that it will have the opposite effect.
“You can’t talk to him,” Brown said. “I don’t know why people are talking to him. Just don’t. Don’t get him going. You don’t want to get him going.”
Durant says he enjoys it, even partakes in it himself, once again breaking out the “too tiny” gesture on Monday after he drained a fadeaway jumper just over the outstretched arm of Royce O’Neale. Durant insists that gesture has long been in his trash talking arsenal, and enjoys the mind games from both sides, especially since he’s usually on the winning side of them.
“I think that’s just part of the game,” Durant said. “That’s the true essence of the game, that dialogue that goes on around the court. We’ve seen it paying on blacktops and in high school gyms, that conversation around the court is always fun…it’s always a good vibe.
“Sometimes I like to indulge in that while I'm playing.”
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