The Warriors don’t need Kevin Durant. Oh wait, the Warriors do need Durant. Check that, the Warriors don’t need Durant. Uh, turns out the Warriors do need Durant. Unless they don’t in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
The value of the world’s best player to the world’s best team has been volleyed more than the tennis ball in a Chris Evert match. Really from the moment Durant sucked the air out of NBA competition on a certain national holiday three years ago, all the way to Thursday night, when Golden State, sans Durant, looked vulnerable in a Game 1 loss to Toronto.