Kevin Durant claps back at Scottie Pippen over critique

Kevin Durant isn’t letting Scottie Pippen’s comments go unchecked.

Less than 48 hours after Pippen critiqued Durant, noting that “he tried to beat Milwaukee instead of utilizing his team,” Durant clapped back on Twitter. 

“Didn’t the great Scottie Pippen refuse to go in the game for the last second shot because he was in his feelings his coach drew up the play for a better shooter??” Durant wrote.

The Nets star was referencing Game 3 of the Bulls-Knicks series in the 1994 playoffs when Pippen infamously sat out for the game’s final play because Phil Jackson designed a play for Chicago’s Toni Kukoc. 

In a separate reply to a different Tweet, Durant wrote, “This guy Scott also wanted to enjoy his summer so he chose to rehab during the season… They followed Phil, not you!!!”

On Tuesday, Pippen made pointed comments about Durant in the wake of Brooklyn’s season-ending loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 7 over the weekend. Pippen specifically compared Durant to LeBron James, indicating a preference for James. 

“James is a complete team player who understands team and winning,” Pippen told Yahoo Sports. “Has [Durant] gotten to that level yet? He went home. I think he still has some learning to do in terms of what it takes to will a team to victory.

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Scottie Pippen and Kevin Durant
AP (2)

“I feel like [Durant has] always been this player. But I see a lot of talk now going on about, ‘Has he surpassed LeBron James?’ Surpassing LeBron James takes a little bit more than an individual’s effort.” 

Durant set a Game 7 record with 48 points on Saturday against the Bucks and made the game-tying shot at the end of regulation to temporarily keep the Nets’ season alive.

Days earlier, in Game 5, Durant netted 49 points in a dazzling performance to will the Nets to a victory with James Harden hampered by a hamstring injury and Kyrie Irving sidlined with a sprained ankle.

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