Durant on struggling Celtics: They'll be fine once the playoffs start
The Boston Celtics will get out of their form slump, according to Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant.
Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant thinks the Boston Celtics will turn it around.
Boston have lost five of their six games since the All-Star break but Durant told reporters on Monday he does not believe their struggles will last long.
Durant's Warriors will host the Celtics on Tuesday.
"They're right up there at the top," Durant said, via ESPN. "They've been losing a couple games, but they've got the top talent, some of the top talent on that team, so they'll be fine once the playoffs start."
The Celtics advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017-18 despite missing Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving, who were both sidelined with injuries.
Both players are back in the lineup and the Celtics entered the season with high expectations. But, they are just 38-26 and in fifth place of the Eastern Conference standings.
"It's just the nature of the game," Durant said. "They've got a bunch of young players, they've got a couple veterans that have been through the struggle, so they're still trying to figure each other out.
"It takes more than just a half a year or a whole year to figure it out. They're just going to keep growing, so what you see right now is probably not the finished product."
Durant is averaging 27.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 2018-19.
The Warriors will enter the matchup against the Celtics with a Western Conference-leading 44-19 record.