Kevin Durant pays massive respect to Spurs but pains fans in the process

Kevin Durant is one of the most accessible players in the NBA. That's rare to see from a player as great as KD, and it's made for some unique interactions on social media. He's gotten in several back-and-forths with fans, analysts, and TV personalities like Stephen A. Smith, but sometimes he just answers questions from fans.

Recently, a user on X (formerly known as Twitter) took a shot that Durant was in the mood to field a question or two and asked the 11-time all-star what his most difficult playoff series that ended in a win was, and Durantula responded.

It's painful to think about the Spurs 2012 Western Conference Finals loss

He's right from a basketball standpoint. If you look at that game from an objective perspective with no affiliation to either side, it's obvious why that series stands out. Through the eyes of a Spurs fan, it brings to the surface the reminder that San Antonio had two chances for a title squandered instead of one.

Everyone usually brings up the 2013 Ray Allen shot to send the Spurs and Miami into overtime, where the Heat stole game six and ultimately won the series in seven. However, San Antonio was number one in the West in the 2011-12 season, too. They won 50 games and entered that series against OKC, playing at one of the highest levels the NBA had ever seen. That's not an exaggeration.

The Spurs won the last ten games of the season in a row heading into the playoffs. But they weren't just winning those games; they were smacking teams. The average margin of victory during those final ten games was 17.6 points. They had a streak of winning games by 21, 21, 25, and 24 points consecutively.

The Silver and Black didn't let up in the playoffs, either. They swept the Utah Jazz in the first round, winning three of the four games by double-digits. They then followed that up by sweeping the Clippers, where they also won three of the four games by double-digits.

A collision with the Miami Heat, who were also running through the playoffs, seemed inevitable. Until it wasn't. The Spurs won the first two games against the Thunder, but they were much tougher. Despite that, there was no reason for anyone's confidence—whether it be the fans or the players—to be shaken since they still won those games.

Unfortunately, Oklahoma City became unstoppable in Game Three—especially due to James Harden, who shot 60% from three for the series—and never relented. It was difficult enough to deal with Durant and Russell Westbrook, but when Harden got going, there became too much firepower to stop. The Spurs lost four straight and missed a shot at the title.

This series goes unmentioned in the Spurs community, but it's just as agonizing to remember as the Ray Allen shot because you can easily convince yourself that a three-peat was possible. So, it's nice that out of the 13 times KD has made the postseason and the 170 playoff games he's played in, the one he paid respect to was against San Antonio, but I'd rather not think about it at all.