He’s Kevin Durant, and he’s making sure the Clippers know who he is

Kevin Durant gave a rare in-depth look inside his brain during an interview ahead of Game 3 of the Warriors’ first-round series against the Clippers. He laid out his thought process for attacking Los Angeles, breaking down the way they played him defensively.

He made it a signature interview when he candidly and semi-rhetorically said “I’m Kevin Durant,” to the media. “You know who I am.”

He followed that statement up by scoring 38 points in just three quarters as Golden State obliterated Los Angeles for real this time, 132-105, in Game 3. In the first half, he scored 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Durant didn’t shoot the ball spectacularly from distance (just 3-of-10) or have many memorable highlights. He just sort dominated.

He is Kevin Durant, after all.

The Warriors are in the unique circumstance being down an all-star after DeMarcus Cousins’ injury, but still having four in reserve. That doesn’t mean their championship title is inevitable. The Bucks in the East are rolling, the Rockets have found their rhythm, and nothing will come easy anymore.

Losing Cousins for the season to a torn quad is serious. The Warriors don’t have much center depth, relying on an aging Andrew Bogut, who’ll eventually struggle to defend in space against tougher opponents. Cousins was also a 16 point-per-game scorer whose offense can’t be replaced by any of the big men on the depth chart.

A lot rests on Durant’s shoulders now, maybe even more so than last year given the Warriors’ lack of depth. He is going to need to execute on takeover nights, especially against tougher teams than the Clippers. This was an excellent showing of how he can do it.

Durant asserting that he’s on another level was corny as hell, but he’s right. It at least suggests he’s in a good frame of mind to be his best self on the court. And that best self is a 6’11 point-forward slashing the lanes and lifting up over the helpless.

It’s the easiest way for the Warriors to three-peat, and their fans should feel a whole lot better about their chances after Thursday night.