Don't worry Celtics fans, Thunder's playoff success so far won't convince Kevin Durant to stay in OKC


Any Celtics faithful who may have watched Kevin Durant explode for 41 points on Sunday likely had the same thought as the Thunder knocked off the Spurs: "This isn't good for Durant's chances of leaving Oklahoma City as a free agent in the offseason."

CSNNE's A. Sherrod Blakely went on TV that night and proclaimed the following:

Kevin Durant isn't going anywhere.  It's done.  It's done! 
I think he's seen enough of this team right now where he feels that they have the pieces going forward as long as he stays...

Durant may well decide to re-sign with the Thunder over the summer, but don't worry C's fans, it won't be because of anything that's already happened in this postseason.

We can all be prisoners of the moment.  I even tweeted this myself as I watched KD single-handedly outscore San Antonio in the fourth quarter (17-16) during OKC's 111-97 victory:


Maybe Oklahoma City will do enough in these playoffs to convince Durant he can win a title right where he is, but there's no way that's already the case.  The series will continue and the narrative is going to change.

We're all high on the Thunder right now, but don't forget they're only tied 2-2 in a series in which they do not have home-court advantage against a 67-win ballclub (just six teams in NBA history have finished with a better record than this year's Spurs).  For all we know, San Antonio may still take the next two games easily and send Durant and company packing in convincing fashion.  If that's the case, there's no way the Game 4 triumph will be KD's lasting memory from the series.

The Celtics are the perfect example to illustrate this point--not that long ago, they were tied at two games apiece as well.  Following consecutive wins in Boston, many of us (myself included) liked the C's chances against Atlanta.  However, the Hawks then put together a pair of back-to-back drubbings to abruptly end the Celtics' season.  In retrospect, the series was never really as close as it appeared to be after Game 4.

Maybe the Spurs will do the same thing to the Thunder, maybe they won't.  OKC might also spring the upset.  Who knows, Durant's squad may even keep winning after that.  There are a variety of potential outcomes for the Thunder this postseason that could easily affect Durant's decision to stick around or sign somewhere new.

One thing I'm certain of though--those outcomes have yet to take place.




Follow Mark Van Deusen on Twitter @LucidSportsFan

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