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Durant downplays Westbrook rivalry: 'The outside is taking it more serious'

USA Today Sports

The basketball world isn't quite sure how deep the ill will between former Oklahoma City Thunder teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook goes, or if it's even there at all. However much of their rivalry is fabricated, the level of interest surrounding them and their apparent conflict has benefited the league greatly this season, even if observers are making it all up in their heads.

Durant understands the attention, yet that won't persuade him to focus on it.

"The outside is taking it more serious than probably we are," Durant told The Vertical's Michael Lee following the Golden State Warriors' 121-100 victory at Oracle Arena on Wednesday. "I'm out there doing my thing. I don't have time to focus on things that really don't matter to me."

Related: KD-Russ relationship remains icy

More emphasis fell on their first matchup of the 2016-17 season in November (when Golden State also emerged victorious), as no one knew what to expect when the two crossed paths on the hardwood. That outing perhaps had its anxieties, but just like in Wednesday's game - and presumably every other meeting from here on out - the four-time scoring champion is no longer going to be thrown off by seeing Westbrook standing across from him.

"Not anymore," Durant said when asked if it was weird competing against a running mate he experienced so much success with in the past. "First game was. But now, it's just competing. Going out there and playing as hard as I can and trying to help my team win. It's simple."

If only for a fleeting moment, Durant and Westbrook chatted it up during a break in play at Oracle Arena, even though Westbrook said after the game that the two weren't on speaking terms.

Durant missed just three of his 16 shots on the night, scoring 40 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in 33 minutes of action. Westbrook notched his 21st triple-double with 27 points, 15 boards, and 13 assists, although he did turn the ball over on 10 occasions.

Related - Watch: Russ throws down monster dunk, KD responds with 3

The Thunder aren't as formidable as they once were, and they never were going to be once Durant decided to make camp in the Bay Area. They're no pushover as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, though, with a respectable 25-19 record. With Westbrook continuing to tally triple-doubles at a historic rate, OKC will keep hope alive for what would certainly be a memorable Warriors-Thunder playoff series.

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