Both the Chicago Bulls and the Phoenix Suns are on steep downward trajectories heading into their game. The Bulls have lost five on the trot and do not seem to be particularly focused on winning, having traded Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings.

Despite the Phoenix Suns fourth consecutive loss lately, the Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant remains optimistic.

The Suns were 25-25 at the trade deadline, and Durant was not willing to abort the mission. The team is now 26-28, and Durant is still not willing to abort the mission. "Obviously, when you pay so much for a team, and we're not playing up to our expectation, somebody has to go," Durant said.

What really makes this loss sting for Phoenix outside of losing to a subpar Spurs team without its best player is that Kevin Durant played 39 minutes in this game. Durant has played 39 minutes or above in each of Phoenix's last four contests he's been able to play in, and despite that, the Suns have lost all four.

Kevin Durant had a heated moment with former teammate Chris Paul during the Suns' game against the Spurs on Thursday night.

Kevin Durant went back to the Bay Area last weekend. He’s now going back to school. A nostalgic time for Phoenix’s All-Star forward continues Thursday, when Durant and the Suns play San Antonio in Austin,

"There's beauty in the struggle and all that stuff, especially when you come out of the other side of things, and you realize that pressure and hard times make you better, so I think we can pull from these experiences to get better and use them for next games,