“Basketball Nirvana” – Shaun Livingston Explains What It Feels Like Playing Alongside Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry

By Uddipta Das On Jun 18, 2023 0

Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are unquestionably among the greatest players of all time. They are really good at scoring points and can shoot from wherever on the basketball court. They linked up in 2016 and became a nearly invincible duo, winning two NBA titles together.

Shaun Livingston, who used to play for the Warriors, talked about what it was like to be on the same team as Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry.

Shaun Livingston on Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry

Livingston said that playing with Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson felt like reaching the highest level of basketball enjoyment. He mentioned that they worked really well together because they didn’t require constant ball control to contribute effectively. Livingston also admired Durant for always prioritizing playing the game in the best possible manner.

“It was like basketball nirvana. It was a seamless fit, all the pieces to the puzzle fit. You got a point guard who could play off the ball and he wasn’t selfish… Klay, who was a sniper, didn’t need it,” Shaun Livingston said.

“KD man, people don’t know how much this guy is a student of the game. Just his work ethic… Watch after practice how he goes through his routine…A tactician, he’s just surgical with his movements, with the footwork, with the balance, with the form. It means something to him, you can tell. That man lives to hoop,” he added.

“Watching him put the work in, this man is really a 7-foot guard out here… He shouldn’t be able to do this, to move this way. It fit because he was brought in from a standpoint of wanting to win and wanting to play good basketball. That’s always what he talked about…” he further added.

Livingston had a lot of fun playing alongside KD and Curry because it seemed so natural. Because their offensive abilities were so impressive, their teammates concentrated on playing strong defence and doing their share. The Warriors, led by KD and Curry, were one of the best teams in NBA history.

Durant and Curry were a lethal duo

Even though some NBA fans disliked the combination of KD and Curry, it is apparent how effective they were as a team. The Golden State Warriors effortlessly trounced every club they faced in 2017 and 2018, never looking to be in a difficult situation. Durant later quit the Warriors after a quarrel with teammate Draymond Green. Although their differences have now been settled, KD has stated that their feud played a key influence in his decision to leave the Golden State Warriors.

Livingston recently referenced another feud among the Golden State Warriors, claiming that the feud between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole negatively affected their chances of winning a second consecutive NBA title. The Warriors will look to rebound next year and demonstrate their ability to maintain their dominance over the last decade.