It was crazy how they caught it and the timing of it, but it was that was for sure my moment of the playoffs.. Tucker as the NBA's toughest one-on-one defender for him. My wife just had my son. Durants mother, Wanda, is a businesswoman. I got drafted by Toronto, but they just took me because I was the best man on the board. "I receive threats and disgusting messages DAILY, but never in my wildest dreams did I think @KDTrey5 would be among them," Rapaport wrote on Twitter. PJ Tucker on his relationship with Kevin Durant: Every year, we have a fight. In the Rockets second-round matchup against the Warriors, it hasnt been easy. P.J. Tucker fouled Kevin Durant, who sank both free throws while his mother sat nearby. Tucker, Danuel House Jr., and Montrezl Harrell in free agency. After his junior season, Tucker was a second-team All-American and the Big 12 Player of the Year. There aren't many guys who can get under Durant's skin when he has the ball in his hands. He is currently a member of the Houston Rockets. Tucker will play in his 618th career NBA game when the Houston Rockets host the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series on Monday night. You come from the college, youre the man. All rights reserved. P.J. However, during game 7 of the Nets vs Bucks last season, Tucker was involved in a famous trash-talking incident with Durants mom Wanda Durant. You had guys feeding their families. The Nets 7-footer heard "F-k KD" chants in Milwaukee after a heated dust-up with Bucks forward P.J. Tucker and Kevin Love have a long history of competing against each other in college and the NBA. However, the Longhorns are different. Tucker finally had the last laugh in this long-standing battle with Kevin Durant as the Milwaukee Bucks advance to the Eastern Conference Finals after beating the Brooklyn Nets in Over Time. From 2007-12, Tucker played in Israel, Ukraine, Italy, Greece, Montenegro, Puerto Rico, Germany and Russia. Thats why the day seemed so long. Alex Hinton breaks down his top NBA player prop picks for Wednesday, March 1, including plays on Donovan Mitchell and Jimmy Butler. I was like his prodigy. But now that Rapaport exposed Durant on social media, in the social justice conscious NBA, what -- if any -- will be the league's reaction. Leonard, who was hit with a fine, was also suspended for a week. That was a decision I had made.. It could happen on Wednesday against the Hornets. But now that Rapaport exposed Durant on social media, in the social justice conscious NBA, what -- if any -- will be the league's reaction. In fact, Tucker and Durant faced each other in the conference semis last season. NBA Trade Rumors: Insider Believes Rift Between Anthony Davis and LeBron James Could Leave to DallasMavericksMove. However, since joining the NBA, the duo has faced each other on several big occasions. or redistributed. In addition to winning two titles with Portland in 2015 and 2015, he won two Finals Most Valuable Player awards in 2015 and 2017, a scoring title in 2015, and a regular-season Most Valuable Player award in 2015. USA TODAY. Devin Booker scored 37 points and Deandre Ayton had 16 points and 16 rebounds in the Suns' seventh victory in 10 games. One might say the series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets truly became a series when P.J. He was able to have more face time with KD on the court during last season's second round, when the Nets faced the Milwaukee Bucks.. Kevin Durant was the most widely regarded prospect among all forwards in the 2003 NBA draft.PJ Tucker and the rest of the college fraternity . During the third quarter of the game, P.J. Welcome! They're very close friends and care so much for one another. All rights reserved. The eight-year veteran is relishing his role after a humbling start to his career. Josef Castillo is a basketball coach and the owner of a basketball blog called bashabearsbasketball.com. Chris Paul won the Olympic gold medal with Chris Paul in 2012. Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury Update: Will Giannis Play in the All-Star Game? Id rather be here than be the last man on the bench in the NBA and never have a chance. P.J. Somebodys shooting the freak, though. Coming back? This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Im not backing down from nothing. A foundation of success and high performance had been set.. Butting Heads with LeBron James & All the Other Times Kevin Durant Showed His Anger. Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA writer for Andscape. an ardent Steph Curry and Warriors guy, and believes they have a few more this is the playoffs man. H's gt 50. Dan told me, I want you to get the best player on every team and shut them down, Tucker said. Learn more and register here. Tucker, and the two former Texas Longhorns had words for each other. Tucker has two older brothers, Paul and Phillip. Though they are not related by blood, the two have developed a strong bond both on and off the court. Wanda Durant trash talks PJ Tucker during Game 7. Milwaukee Bucks forward P.J. "I thought I was going to retire in Miami," Tucker said to the . Then-Suns general manager Lance Blanks offered Tucker a non-guaranteed training camp invite during summer league play. I knew that defense was my way, but that is where I learned to enjoy it and saw how much of an effect it could have on games. Wanda Durant wasn't happy with that and yelled at the player, telling him to play basketball. In fact, Tucker and Durant faced each other in the conference semis . He said he thinks about his gamble all the time and remembers guarding then-Oklahoma City star forward Kevin Durant during his first start on Dec. 31, 2012. Dan Majerle was already one of my favorite players. She said just give it one more shot. It keeps me going. But somebody has to do it. It is a reminder that even though players may move on to different teams and different levels of competition, the bonds they form during their time in college can last a lifetime. Tucker. There is still uncertainty about whether or not Kyrie Irving will play in Game Seven on Wednesday, but he is expected to. Durant is averaging 36.6 points per game in three contests against the Rockets. He even held him to 3-for-12 shooting while being his primary defender in game-four of the series. Trending Theyre down 2. 0:00. PJ continued telling reporters about the respect he has for Durant. , I try to help guys who are on the brink of getting out. Please check your email for a confirmation. Because hes happy to be here., P.J. One of the most interesting and most vital matchups in the series is that of Kevin Durant versus P.J. Tucker (17) in the first quarter during game seven in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Barclays Center. Grown men. The game could've been a movie, the action on the sidelines a soap opera and the dialogue between Kevin Durant and his longtime friend P.J. I got tired all of the stories about, He is a tweener. It's like 'OK man, that was incredible, yu made that. Wanda Durant unbuttoned her mask and declared, This is basketball, not football. He looked over to Durants mother and kissed her on the cheek, and she responded, I love you too. In the final seconds of the third period, he tied the game with a game-tying goal. EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 14: PJ Tucker #44 handles the ball during a scrimmage at the 2019 USA Men's National Team World Cup training camp at UCLA Health Training Center on August 14, 2019 . Kevin Durant's mom, Wanda, starred in a heated and hilarious exchange with PJ Tucker during Game 7 of the Brooklyn Nets-Milwaukee Bucks series. Although P.J. It is especially so during the playoffs when he's more locked in than normal. Cameron Johnson praises how the Brooklyn Nets showed resilience in Friday's comeback win over the Boston Celtics. Getty Brooklyn's Kevin Durant and Milwaukee's P.J. But the 2006 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year averaged only 1.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 4.9 minutes per game during the 2006-07 season. P.J. He told Tucker he believed he could have a place in the NBA as a primary defender. I didnt get a whole lot of help or guidance. LeBron James: Spoiled Or Inspiring Role Model? You love to see these moments to find out how intense the playoffs are. Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images. In fact, before the playoffs, he started on just one occasion. Is Luka Doncics Health At Risk? He writes about about basketball news, tips, NBA teams and more. PJ Tucker, along with other members of the college fraternity, waited with bated breath for KDs arrival. PJ Tucker, on the other hand, prevailed in the end. In fact, Tucker never got to play with Durant at Texas, instead going to the NBA just before the All-Star arrived. Hes one of the best goal-scorers in the world, and I enjoy watching him play. Although Tucker didnt average eye-popping numbers (5.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game), then-Suns summer league coach and former Suns star Dan Majerle loved him. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. The Suns are +450 to win a championship. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @DanCanova. During the third quarter, Tucker fouled Nets star Kevin Durant, sending him to the free-throw line. You have to learn how to play over there. Tucker, a defensive pest during that series, from the Heat in free agency, a move that left Philadelphia penalized by the NBA for . Tucker and Blanks were actually friends with University of Texas ties. When asked about how it feels to guard someone as close to unstoppable as KD, Tucker said, Its painful. I dont know what people think. This league has gotten so soft, security ran on the court , Wait. Tuckers 2018 NBA playoff sneakers, James Harden is disrespecting the unwritten rules of the game. In fact, Tucker not only called Durant the best scorer he has . Tucker, unhappy with the call, went after Durant but in the middle of the confrontation, a seemingly random security guard was seen running into the middle of the scrum to separate the two players . Throughout the series, hes averaging 33.3 PPG, 10.8 RPG, and 5.3 APG while having a 50.3 FG% and 34.9 3PT%. But Bucks forward P.J. Majerle called Tucker a man after my own heart for how hard he played and for taking all the tough defensive assignments. Earlier in the quarter, Draymond tweeted about the night Durant was having. You dream about being in the playoffs and guarding the best player in the world. Yall stand there and I turn around. Tucker exchange words during the second half of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference second-round playoff series at the Fiserv Forum on June 10, 2021 . Durant was exposed by Michael Rapaport for using homophobic slurs in a private Instagram conversation. By the summer of 2012, Tucker was making a comfortable living for himself overseas and signed a two-year contract paying at least $2 million with BC Spartak St. Petersburg of Russia. D it again.' Bcause I'm nt gnna stop. He said he learned how to play professional basketball while overseas. Nets star Kevin Durant and Bucks forward P.J. It was both a heated and hilarious exchange between Tucker and Wanda at the same time. Tucker has been going after Durant on the defensive end all series long, and he has done well against Durant. She is very proud of her son and all that he has accomplished. Kevin Durant scored 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting in his Suns debut, helping Phoenix snap the Charlotte Hornets' five-game winning streak with a wire-to-wire 105-91 victory Wednesday night. Miami Heat forward P.J. P.J. They helped the Longhorns reach the NCAA tournament in 2006 and 2007, with Durant being named the tournaments Most Outstanding Player in 2007. Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge went to the same University of Texas school as each other, but they werent teammates during their college years. 2 min read. Kevin Durant was the most widely regarded prospect among all forwards in the 2003 NBA draft. When Durant was with the Warriors, Tucker couldnt get the better of him as the Rockets faced the Warriors several times in the postseason. I couldnt get reps in practice. Tuckers gamble paid off, as he made the Suns roster for the 2012-13 season. This series was memorable, but it's time to move on for both franchises. People see us fight, but they dont know we talk about regular stuff too. Jun 19, 2021; Brooklyn, New York, USA Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) controls the ball against Milwaukee Bucks forward P.J. 66. In the 2017-18 NBA season, Durant . . It was the first overtime game in the NBA since 2006 and the first in a series since 1987. The conversation must have been light-hearted because Tucker said I love you to Kevins mom and she replied in the sweetest way possible showing that the Banter was all in good spirit. NBA Rising All-Stars Game 2023: Who Is Playing and Where to Watch? />. This is just a game at the end of the day, and both players know that, just like Mrs. Durant. It was just the start of Durant's day against Tucker, which ended with Durant scoring 28 points but making only nine of the 25 shots he attempted in the Bucks' 107-96 Game 4 victory. This article first appeared on Sideline Sources and was syndicated with permission. Rockets P.J. Youre gonna get thrown out; then we cant play. At the time of his tweet, Durant had just 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting and 0-of-2 from 3-point range. PJ Tucker and Kevin Durant are two professional basketball players who have played together on multiple teams throughout their careers. KDs mom was seen shooting words at Tucker for hurting her son. The media could not be played. 641 Retweets. Results reveal seven composites of closeness in interethnic friendship: disclosure, comfort, compatibility, reappraisal of the characters and other ethnic groups, support, similarity, and . In fact, Tucker never got to play with Durant at Texas, instead going to the NBA just before the All-Star arrived. This week Kevin Durant should make his debut with the Suns. I said I love you mom and she right in stride, she says I love you too. Recently, Shirley had the opportunity to speak with her son about his career. However, it wasnt enough as the Nets crashed out of the series by losing 115111 in overtime. PJ Tucker recently appeared in an interview on JJ Redicks YouTube channel. Their time as teammates came to an end when Durant left Texas for the NBA after his sophomore year, but the bond between the two players remains strong. Going back to Kevin Durant and PJ Tucker's war of words, the Bucks swingman still had the last laugh after Milwaukee edged the Nets, 124-118. LaMarcus Aldridge is one of the NBAs all-time great players. PJ Tucker and Kevin Durants mom share a few words and some laughs , : @HoHighlights pic.twitter.com/9XmpWc6mOM, USA TODAY NBA (@usatodaynba) June 20, 2021. Also Read:NBA Playoffs: Is Chris Paul playing in Game 1 vs the Los Angeles Clippers?