“I personally don’t think at that point Steph Curry had figured out ‘I’m going to get a bucket whenever I want to’” - Draymond Green believes the Warriors would have never beaten the Cavs in 2017 and 2018 without Kevin Durant

Steph Curry led the Golden State Warriors to a championship title without Kevin Durant for the second time. But the importance of the Brooklyn Nets forward to the Warriors' dominant run in the NBA cannot be overemphasized.

The two-time NBA champion was a force in the blue-and-yellow jersey. In his three seasons, he took the Warriors to the finals in all three seasons. He clinched the Finals MVP award in two of those (2017 and 2018).

In a conversation with JJ Redick, Draymond Green said the Warriors would not have been able to get past the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017 and 2018 without KD. He said this was because their opponents had "figured them out."

"We would not have beat the Cavs coming back around without Kevin, and here's why," Green said. "Teams had figured us out, and I personally don't think at that point Steph Curry had figured out, "I'm going to get a bucket whenever I want to." I don't think he was capable of that."

He also said Curry was not as confident shooting at that time as he is now.

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But that was not the case against the Houston Rockets. Green said the Warriors could have defeated the Rockets without Kevin Durant.

"Yeah, we was beating them for sure. That team was never gonna beat us, just was not gonna happen."

Could Kevin Durant return to the Golden State Warriors?

Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors looks toward the scoreboard in the second quarter during Game 3 of the 2019 Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets on May 4, 2019, in Houston, Texas.

A return to the Golden State Warriors for Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant might be a move he considers.

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Draymond Green said the Warriors' two seasons of drought did not come because of Kevin Durant's absence. It's not clear if either party will contemplate reuniting again, however. Durant had said he had nothing against the franchise, that he just did not see himself as a part of the core.

His reason for leaving the franchise centered on chemistry as most of the team's top players were draft picks. The Warriors, on the other hand, may have no problem taking the forward back, even if it's for a year's run.