Could Kevin Durant signing with the Boston Celtics have saved the NBA Playoffs?



The NBA Playoffs are proving to be every bit as predictable as everyone expected. Of course, for anyone obsessed with NBA Sports lines from sites like BetPhoenix, that is probably a good thing.

But for other basketball fans simply looking to enjoy the sport, the Warriors/Cavaliers games are doing nothing to attract interest and enthusiasm; and if you think about it, Kevin Durant could have saved the NBA Playoffs if he had chosen to sign with Boston.

Of course, it is difficult to fault Durant for his decision. But there is something truly frustrating about this year’s playoffs. There was a time when fans and pundits hoped against all hope that the Cleveland Cavaliers would deliver another historical comeback.

However, two games into the series, it is clear that everyone chose to either overestimate Cleveland or they thoroughly underestimated Golden State. Kyrie Irving isn’t delivering the superhuman performance his fans were expected, and as brilliant as LeBron might be, his abilities have proven largely ineffective in the face of Golden State’s dominance.

There is a place for dominance in sports. And the Golden State warriors are definitely a dominant force; unfortunately, rather than making them compelling to watch, the Warriors have become all but monotonous.

And even though it sounds a little absurd, one cannot help but wonder at the difference Durant could have made by simply signing with a different team. There was never any point in adding a force like Kevin Durant to a pool of talent like Golden State.

Of course, one can see the appeal of Golden State for a player like Durant. Durant has said time and time again that he wants to play basketball and have fun. And playing for Golden state is definitely fun.

One can only imagine the exhilaration he feels to participate in the otherworldly play of a team as powerful as the Warriors. But if the sports star had thought about the game of basketball as a whole, then maybe the NBA Finals wouldn’t feel so stale. Think about it. Durant playing for the Celtics might not have transformed them into a winning team but it would have allowed the NBA to become more of a competitive place.

With Durant on the Celtics team, the East would have finally stood tall against LeBron James. More importantly, there would be some rationale in hoping for an upset against Golden State.

A matchup between Isaiah Thomas and Durant, and Kyrie Irving and LeBron would have made for an unforgettable conference. And one can only imagine what Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs would have done against the Warriors in such a situation.

Simply put, because of the situation as it stands, fans have been treated to a rather mismatched season, with the Cavs and the Warriors casually tearing through every opponent coming their way.

The Golden State Warriors, in particular, are too good. Durant’s presence on the team makes them nigh unstoppable. Golden State hasn’t just defeated every opponent that has come their way. They have outperformed them in every aspect, so much so that even LeBron James has been rendered ineffective.

There is little point in dreaming about what could have been. At this point, all one can do is bemoan the state of things.