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Royce Young: Presti called Westbrook and Durant the "caretakers of the organization" and "drivers of our culture." Twitter @dailythunder

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Sam Presti, Russell Westbrook 

But after Kevin Durant provided a level-headed and mature response, filled with perspective and void of hyperbole, his answer seemed to almost sell short his competitive spirit. “Nothing’s ever a wasted year for me. It’s basketball,” Durant said. “I’ve grown so much as a man since the beginning of the season. I’ve grown so much as a leader. Nothing is ever wasted. Of course the ultimate goal in this league is to win a championship. But I’m never going to say I wasted a year. I’m blessed to even wake up and do something I love every day. So it’s never wasted. We take that for granted a lot. But that’s something I’m not going to do. I enjoy playing this game. I enjoy playing for this city, my teammates. So every day I get to see those guys and go through some tough times and laugh and argue it’s never wasted. I’m just blessed to be here. And I’m never going to take it for granted.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

Following his response, Durant was then asked what he would say to possible critics who might hear his outlook and question his competitive fire. “I don’t give a damn. I’m going to be who I’m going to be,” Durant said. “I’m not Kobe Bryant. I’m not Michael Jordan. I’m not LeBron James. I’m not Magic Johnson. I’m me. I’m not going to ever compromise myself, my integrity and what I believe in for winning some basketball games and winning a championship. That’s just not I how I was brought up. I’m always going to fight for this game I love. I’m going to claw until the last buzzer sounds. And if that’s after a championship then of course I’ll be happy. I’m not satisfied just being in this league and losing. I’m going to work as hard as I can to try to get to that mountaintop. I enjoy playing the game. I enjoy being here. But I’m never going to come out to the media and say we wasted a year because we lost a championship. Like I said, I don’t have to be Kobe Bryant.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

Kevin Durant leads all NBA players in career commercial appearances with 63 at last count, according to standings calculated by HoopsHype. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers is second with 42 and Miami's LeBron James is third with 39. In team rankings, OKC ranks third with 88 total commercials, trailing the Los Angeles Lakers with 125 and the Miami Heat with 91. Russell Westbrook is second among Thunder players with 11 commercials, followed by Serge Ibaka (six), Nick Collison, Kendrick Perkins and Thabo Sefolosha (two each), Kevin Martin and Reggie Jackson (one each). Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Kendrick Perkins, Nick Collison, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Martin, Serge Ibaka, Thabo Sefolosha, Reggie Jackson, Commercials 

Royce Young: KD: "I think last night after the game, I don't normally drink Gatorade, but I think I drank four or five Gatorades after the game." Twitter @dailythunder

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

Royce Young: KD: "I love Kevin Martin. I love everything he stands for ... I would love for him to do whatever he feels is right for himself." Twitter @dailythunder

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Kevin Martin 

“We had a really good season,” said Kevin Durant. More Durant: “It’s tough to swallow now, but I’m sure we’re going to look back on this down the line and really appreciate this tough time.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

“Memphis is a really, really good team, and they made it tough on us every one of these games,” Durant said. “I gave it all I had for my team. I left it all out there on the floor. I missed 16 shots, but I kept fighting and I kept being aggressive. That’s all I can ask for.” Oklahoman

Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

“I left it all out there on the floor,” Kevin Durant said, after playing all 48 minutes but hitting just five of his 21 attempts, by far his worst shooting night of the playoffs. “I missed 16 shots, I kept fighting, kept being aggressive. That’s all I can ask for.” SI.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

Benjamin Hochman: “I’m really really proud of Reggie – I’m excited for his future.” – KD on Reggie Jackson, former Mr. Colorado Basketball Twitter @nuggetsnews

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Reggie Jackson 

In 2008, the NBA's Seattle Supersonics left the Emerald City to become the Oklahoma City Thunder. They've since gone on to become one of the league's hottest young teams, powered by superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Seattle sports fans, meanwhile, have been left team-less, and many of them are still bitter over the move. You can count hit-making rapper Macklemore among the angry. Macklemore, a Seattle native, took to Twitter this week to express some beef over the Thunder using one of his songs as an in-arena pump-up jam. Mashable

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Seattle SuperSonics, Russell Westbrook, Macklemore 

Durant on Monday was asked what he's learned about himself while playing without the injured Westbrook. “That we need him,” Durant said. “We miss him.” Durant entered Game 4 against Memphis averaging 34 points, 10.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.9 blocked shots in seven games without Westbrook, who recently underwent season-ending knee surgery. But the Thunder was 3-4 in those games. Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook 

“Guys have got to step up now,” Durant said. “I think I've taken more of a load of scoring and facilitating and rebounding. But of course when you have your All-Star out we miss him. But it's no excuse. We still got to get the job done.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook 

Robert Pera @Tony Allen: KD is going to be bringing everything he's got for the showdown in OKC. All eyes on Glove 2.0! Twitter

Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Tony Allen, Robert Pera 

A day after Kevin Durant said Serge Ibaka's shooting struggles were all in his mind, Ibaka admitted that his confidence is waning. “Yeah,” Ibaka said. “It's normal, man. It's normal. A little bit. But that does not mean my confidence is way down because after all the shots I missed, after the (missed) dunk, I was still playing defense. I wanted to still help my teammates. I wanted to still try to be aggressive. But it's normal like he said. Of course, that happens to everybody.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka 

Some have said you and Serge have been asked to play a different role than you have been all year and it takes a little while to adjust to it. Kevin Martin: “Yeah, but we're fine. That's no excuse for us right now. We just have to do what we're supposed to do.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Kevin Martin, Serge Ibaka 

A day after Kevin Durant said Serge Ibaka's shooting struggles were all in his mind, Ibaka admitted that his confidence is waning. “Yeah,” Ibaka said. “It's normal, man. It's normal. A little bit. But that does not mean my confidence is way down because after all the shots I missed, after the (missed) dunk, I was still playing defense. I wanted to still help my teammates. I wanted to still try to be aggressive. But it's normal like he said. Of course, that happens to everybody.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka 

Oklahoma City Thunder all-star Kevin Durant has overcome his fear of spider-ly lawsuits ... TMZ has learned his legal war over the nickname "Durantula" has finally come to an end. TMZ broke the story ... Durant was sued by former Public Enemy guitarist Mark Durante, who claimed he had trademarked the name and used it to sell merchandise long before KD came along. Durante wanted a judge to stop KD from using it. TMZ.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Law 

But now it's all water under the bridge ... TMZ has learned that Durant and Durante have reached a private settlement and the lawsuit has been dismissed with prejudice ... meaning Durante can never file it again. TMZ.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Law 

“I’ve said it before, when a guy has the ball and has to score like that it takes energy, and the more you make him work, that’s the best you can do,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said. “You can’t stop Kevin Durant, he’s a great player, but he played 45, 46 minutes and he’s asked to carry a huge load for them. As the game goes on other people for them, they start taking the load away from him a little bit, but I don’t think that we can stop him. I’m not attributing it to us.” NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Lionel Hollins