Mother’s Day Keeping Kevin Durant Cool

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ordinarily, Kevin Durant would be antsy after a loss. Especially a playoff loss.

The Thunder’s All-Star forward generally can’t wait to get back on the floor and get another shot at a victory.

But on Sunday, following Oklahoma City’s 101-93 overtime loss to Memphis in Game 3, Durant took a different approach.

That’s because it was Mother’s Day.

“If it wasn’t Mother’s Day, I’d be ready to play right now,” Durant said after Sunday’s practice. “But my mom is here, and she’s taking a lot of pressure off me.”

Durant called Sunday ‘bittersweet.’ His brother, Tony, has joined him and his mother, Wanda Pratt, in Memphis. But the sting of Saturday’s fourth-quarter collapse was understandably competing with what should be a celebratory day.

“To lose yesterday and have to think about it for a whole day,” Durant said. “But to have my mom and my family here takes a lot of pressure off me. So I’m good.”

Durant was then asked if he got his mother a good gift.

“Every day is Mother’s Day for her,” Durant said with a smile. “Just having her around, having that support for me is key. Gifts can buy that. I’m blessed.”