Kevin Durant has never been one to shrink in the face of criticism. He will go at fans on social media, who have no real influence, if they talk badly about him. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that when Charles Barkley started blaming Kevin Durant for the Celtics being able to sweep the Brooklyn Nets that Durant fired back.
Barkley said that Durant is “a bus rider” on great teams and not capable of being a voice of leadership. Durant fired back on social media posting photos of all of the stars that Charles Barkley teamed with in pursuit of a championship.
Wednesday morning, Boomer & Gio weighed in. Both members of the WFAN morning duo defended Durant’s prowess and standing as one of the NBA’s elite players. Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti followed it up in different ways though.
“If there’s any time to just be quiet on social media, it’s after you just had your ass handed to you in this series by the Boston Celtics,” Gionnatti said, insinuating that Durant isn’t doing himself any favors on social media.
Esiason turned the tables on Charles Barkley. He asked why the star of TNT’s Inside the NBA is so critical of Durant and not other Brooklyn Nets.
“I think Charles has got his eyes on the wrong guy,” Boomer Esiason said. “The guy that should be under the criticism prism is Kyrie Irvin and then of course Ben Simmons.”
Kevin Durant missed games during the season with an injury. Esiason notes that Irvin has a history of missing games for completely preventable reasons. That should be something Barkley and other critics are going after with just as much vigor as they are going after Durant right now.
“You know, Kyrie didn’t want to take his vaccine. Kyrie didn’t want to play last year. He disappeared on the team the year before that when Kevin wasn’t playing because he was hurt,” Boomer Esiason said. “You know, it is one thing to be critical of a player, and I don’t think it’s fair that Chuck would do that to Kevin Durant, because I’m a Kevin Durant fan. He wants to play. I believe he gives you maximum effort and they didn’t have an answer because the other guy on the floor looked like he didn’t even want to be there.”
