Kevin Durant Rips 'Hot Take' Artists In Response to Analysis of Knicks vs. Celtics

Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant sounded off on "hot take" artists upon seeing the assertion that the Boston Celtics are on stronger footing against the New York Knicks without their best player.

Durant replied to Fox Sports' Emmanuel Acho, who argued "the Celtics match up better against the Knicks without Jayson Tatum than they do with him." KD also called Acho somebody "who quit football early to pursue media."

The Celtics beat the Knicks 127-102 on Wednesday night, their first game since Tatum ruptured his Achilles. It was an impressive performance from Boston, whom everybody pretty much wrote off once Tatum went down.

But the game may mean as little in the big picture as when an underdog takes a game off a higher seed en route to a gentleman's sweep. Big fluctuations can happen in a seven-game series.

It's probably safe to assume Celtics big man Luke Kornet won't be flirting with a triple-double (10 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks) again. Likewise, New York's quartet of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby will likely combine to hit more than four three-pointers in Game 6.

Common sense broadly dictates the Celtics are stronger and "match up better mentally" when they have the services of a player who averaged 25 points and 11.8 rebounds through the first four games of the second round.

Saying otherwise does a disservice to Tatum, a six-time All-Star who played a key role in last year's championship run.

It's not hard to see why the clip rubbed Durant the wrong way.