NBA
Phoenix Suns Kevin Durant says fans “deserve to react how they want” after boos
The Suns star was frank when asked to analyse the negative crowd reaction after the Timberwolves made it 3-0 in the series.
The wolves howled as the sun went down at the Footprint Center, but the booing had started long before then. The Phoenix Suns crumbled to another sorry defeat in their third game of the series against the Minnesota Timberwolves (109-126) and have multiple mountain ranges to climb if they want to claw themselves back into the fight.
After the game, the microphone was put in front of NBA veteran Kevin Durant, the Suns’ star player, who did not hold back on his thoughts regarding the unhappy crowd.
The resounding win placed the Phoenix Suns, a team that came into the season with championship expectations, on the brink of being swept in the first round of the playoffs; it also placed the Timberwolves one win away from winning their first playoff series since 2004.
Fans ‘expect so much and pay their hard-earned money’
“They expect so much out of us and they pay their hard-earned money, and they deserve to react how they want to react,” said Durant, who finished with 25 points. “It’s on us as players to use it as fuel, and hopefully it ignites us for the next game.”
Other players were, rather than serious, shocked: “I’ve never been swept a day in my life,” commented Suns guard Bradley Beal, “I’ll be damned if that happens.”
Some, however, saw the uphill task as a challenge: “They say nobody’s ever done it before,” said Suns guard Devin Booker, who scored 23 points, “that’s exciting.” You’re right, Booker, no team has ever come back from 0-3 down in NBA playoff history.
“We want this really bad, so it is disappointing,” coach Vogel lamented. “It is frustrating. We’re all very invested in this and we’re all pouring everything we have to bring these fans a team they could be proud of, and we feel like we can still do that but we haven’t played well enough in this series.”
“There’s no quit in our group”, Vogel added, defiantly, “this group does not want the season to come to an end.”
Game 4 between the Timberwolves and the Suns is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT and will take place at the Footprint Center.