Steve Kerr on Kevin Durant's 38-Point Game 3: 'He Showed Who Kevin Durant Is'

Kevin Durant took his game to another level Thursday and led the Golden State Warriors to a 132-105 victory in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Head coach Steve Kerr was impressed, telling reporters "he showed who Kevin Durant is" after a performance that included 38 points, seven assists and four rebounds on 14-of-23 shooting from the field:

"He had a different mindset than he did the other night," Kerr said of the two-time NBA Finals MVP, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. "Set a tone right away."

As Kerr pointed out, Durant wasted little time sending a message to the overmatched Clippers and poured in 27 points in the first half alone. The Warriors announced the effort tied his career high for points in the first half of a playoff game.

Durant's individual matchup with Patrick Beverley was under the spotlight after he was ejected in Game 1 and fouled out in Game 2, but it was the Clippers guard who spent time on the bench in foul trouble Thursday. That's because Durant was assertive from the start and attacked the smaller defender from the high elbow instead of getting caught up in the back-and-forth that defined the first two contests.

One reason Golden State blew a 31-point lead during the Game 2 loss was the fact Durant attempted a mere eight shots from the field, which isn't exactly what the two-time defending champions want from one of the best pure scorers in league history.

Kerr told reporters Durant should shoot 20 or 30 times in a game, pointing out, "The guy is the most skilled basketball player on planet earth. There's nobody who can do what he can do. ... Absolutely, he needs to be more aggressive. It's the playoffs. He can get any shot he wants, any time."

For his part, Durant hinted at the aggressiveness to come when he broke down Beverley's defense before the game and reminded everyone that he's Kevin Durant:

Thanks in large part to his efforts, the top-seeded Warriors seized home-court advantage back after they lost it in Monday's stunning loss. They are two wins away from advancing and setting up a potential Western Conference Finals rematch with the Houston Rockets—only this time, it will be in the second round.