The Golden State Warriors were able to finish off the Houston Rockets and then sweep the Portland Trail Blazers without the help of All-Star forward Kevin Durant, as he has been sidelined with a calf strain suffered earlier in the series against the Rockets. 

Not only have the Warriors been winning without Durant, but they've also looked good doing so (REALLY good), which has predictably led to some saying that the Warriors are actually better off without the reigning Finals MVP. Durant has heard this talk, and on Friday, he discussed it with media members. 

"It's hard to get away from that because I watch the games, and you watch the lead-up to the games and that's all everybody is talking about," Durant said. "... As a player, I think about that and I'm just like 'it's not true.' That's not facts when it comes to a basketball perspective, but the competitive side of me also likes to talk basketball as well. So, if you want to say something like that, I'm going to engage in it. So it's all fun, it's all cool, but I know the real." 

You can see Durant's comments below, via Mark Medina via the Mercury News:

The idea that any team, even one as talented as the Warriors, is better off without one of the best ballers in the entire world is silly. However, if the claim is that the Warriors are a more fun team to watch without Durant, then that is a different discussion, and one that Durant might have some difficulty dispelling.