Every time somebody talks about Kevin Durant, they create up what he’s able to doing much more than they create up what he truly does. I might retire if I had a greenback for each time Stephen A. Smith has stated “6-foot-11, can pull up from 30.” However he doesn’t truly get the job executed fairly often.
Individuals always overstate how good Durant is each by way of at this time’s NBA and their rankings of one of the best gamers of all time as a result of he’s a terrific scorer and shooter… that can be tall.
As you’re in all probability nicely conscious, each of his championships got here after becoming a member of a staff that went 73-9, eradicated his personal staff from the playoffs, and was one yr faraway from successful a championship. Since leaving the Warriors, Durant has been teammates with Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Chris Paul, and Devin Booker. No different participant has come near having that quantity of gifted teammates previously three years.
KD lacks a signature playoff second
Aside from that one long-distance dagger in opposition to the Cavs within the finals, he doesn’t have any signature playoff moments that come to thoughts. Scoring is clearly a very powerful ability an NBA participant can have with the way in which the principles favor offense, however that capability causes folks to miss his drawbacks. He reveals flashes of excellent protection at instances however by and huge, isn’t nice. He’s not a very good rebounder for a 7-footer. He doesn’t create that many pictures for others. And plenty of instances he’s fairly inefficient.
To be honest, gamers which might be anticipated to take plenty of pictures can’t actually maintain environment friendly taking pictures numbers for lengthy. And also you’re not likely anticipated to be a terrific defender if you’re additionally the staff’s first choice on offense.
That being stated, it was Durant’s offense that failed him of their collection loss in opposition to the Nuggets. It took him 23.2 pictures per sport to attain 29.5 factors per sport.
Revisionist historical past
There’s a loopy revisionist historical past about him. When he was traded to the Suns earlier this season, it was unilaterally declared a brilliant staff and the favourite to win the title. Now some are saying that they should construct round Durant with extra “protection and position gamers.”
He joined a staff with two different all-stars and a latest No. 1 decide. When is he lastly going to get some assist? Durant made six three-pointers in your complete collection. He wants to begin serving to himself.
Since leaving the Warriors, he’s been on two tremendous groups which have did not even attain the convention finals, not to mention win a championship. He was not one of the best participant on these Warriors championship groups even when he gained finals MVP each instances.
A few yr in the past, Draymond Inexperienced stated that Steph Curry was double-teamed seven instances as a lot as Durant through the 2017 and 2018 finals. The ever-defensive Durant stated this was “one hundred pc false.” I imply, I suppose he’s technically proper. It wasn’t seven instances as a lot, however Curry was doubled extra. Even then head coach of the Cavaliers has since stated that was his plan.
Curry has gained a championship earlier than Durant arrived in Golden State and after he left, however some folks nonetheless insist that he wanted Durant. And though the Warriors are presently trailing the Lakers 3-2 of their collection, there’s an opportunity they may come again and advance additional within the playoffs than the Suns.
Sure, Kevin Durant is a superb participant, however not as nice as many individuals say as a result of they’re grading him on a curve. The argument as to why Durant is healthier than Curry just about begins and ends with “he’s taller.” The truth that he COULD shoot over anyone and carry a staff, doesn’t imply he truly does it. No different celebrity will get that degree of good thing about the doubt. At no cut-off date was the taller Khris Middleton one of the best participant on this planet.
