The Phoenix Suns‘ playoff run came to an end this weekend. Kevin Durant joined the Suns in the 2022-23 season, heralding a supposed new era of dominance. He was paired with players such as Bradley Beal, Devin Booker & Jusuf Nurkic. But their dream came to an end as the Minnesota Timberwolves knocked them out with a scoreline of 122-116.

After the Suns were knocked out, a fan tweeted, “People are saying that Kevin Durant without Steph in the playoffs is just Harrison Barnes? Wow,” Barnes, was a former Warriors teammate often seen as a complementary scorer rather than a franchise cornerstone. And it has sparked a debate about the ability of Kevin Durant to perform in the playoffs without his Golden State Warriors teammate, Stephen Curry.

A fan compared Kevin Durant’s performance to British Food.

A fan agreed with the person who tweeted it.

A fan agreed with the opinion just by using a word.

Another fan couldn’t just control his laugh.

Durant’s performance was average in the postseason. He averaged 26.8 points per game, along with 6.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists. His supporting cast also faltered. But these numbers look pale if we compare it with Durant’s MVP seasons that he played alongside Curry and made that Championship run for the Golden State Warriors. Durant is a great scorer, his offensive prowess and leadership skills leads his team to victory. But often times we have seen him struggling.

The comparison of Kevin Durant to ‘British Food’ being mid “without curry” perfectly matches the sentiment. Stephen Curry’s play making and shooting prowess played a huge role to unlock Kevin Durant’s full potential during his time at the GSW.

Is Durant a system player?

Durant is undeniably a veteran of the game. He has inspired a lot of people including Anthony Edwards who played a major role in knocking the Phoenix Suns out of the playoffs. He had a great regular season, averaging 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. But they managed to choke in the playoffs.

Durant could carry the offensive load, but his time with the Warriors demonstrated the transformative effect Curry has on his game. He played 168 games alongside Curry. He won 2 Championships. And he averaged 25.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant pushed each other to be their best while playing together.

The Suns’ struggles suggest that replicating the Warriors’ success with Durant as the focal point might be a difficult task. The team lacks an offensive anchor, they have Devin Booker but he isn’t quite the same caliber of playmaker as Curry. It will be interesting to see if Durant can overcome this perceived weakness and lead the Suns to a championship without Curry by his side in the next season.