Kevin Durant showed Tuesday night why he might be the NBA's best offensive player, coming alive in the fourth quarter to help his Oklahoma City Thunder close out the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. It was a pretty remarkable performance that likely wasn't going to be stopped no matter who was defending him.
One of the players tasked with the chore of attempting to quiet Durant is veteran stopper Shane Battier. Battier admitted this week in an interview with The Oklahoman, however, that it takes more than conventional means to defend Durant.
Q: How do you approach guarding Kevin Durant?
A: "You start out Sunday morning in church. Say three Hail Marys. I've got some Buddha beads. You pray to all the gods.
"He's a tough cover. He's a guy who I have the ultimate respect for. Outside of my own team, I think he's the best player in the league. He's hungry. He's relentless."
Church, Hail Marys, Buddha beads and praying to all of the gods, huh? Well, it can't hurt.
For more on the Heat, head over to Peninsula Is Mightier and SB Nation Tampa Bay. For Thunder news and notes, visit Welcome To Loud City. And for news, analysis and everything else revolving around the NBA Playoffs, be sure to visit SB Nation's NBA page.
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