HOUSTON — Kevin Durant’s whole body, soul and Warriors purpose were tested in this series, which is probably why he looked so spent but also so happy late Monday.



He had been through the Western Conference finals wringer; much of it, Durant acknowledges, was self-inflicted, as he started to doubt some things about himself and wondered a little about his proper fit in this powerful offense for this series.



But he and the Warriors survived in a wild, barely believable comeback Game 7 win over the Rockets at Toyota Center to clinch their fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals. They passed the test. And maybe this trial by fire was the best thing for Durant’s long-term Warriors career.



So I asked Durant: Was this struggle and ultimate series victory all about the Warriors growing together as a team?



“Naw,” Durant said with a smile after a long pause, “for me, it was more, ‘just get your ass back to...