Report card : Kevin Durant

by Dr Dave on Apr 5, 2008 9:42 PM PDT Comment 24 comments

Remember the hot debate over Kevin Durant or Greg Oden on this site as draft night drew nearer? They were touted as the two best prospects in a decade. We didn't know for sure how KP was going to pick until the final hours. Unfortunately we were not able to see Oden in action but Durant went right to work in Seattle.

So...how is Kevin Durant doing in your opinion, in his rookie year? He's averaging about 20 points, 4 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Is he meeting or exceeding expectations? Will he be a major force in the league?

Here's a totally un-related musical interlude to listen to as you ponder.....and an un-related poll to satisfy a curious dog lover.

Poll

In appearance and demeanor, I resemble...

a Collie

2 votes

a Pug

2 votes

a Doberman

2 votes

a Black Lab

5 votes

a Golden Lab

5 votes

an Irish Setter

3 votes

a Boxer

7 votes

Goofy

20 votes

a German Shepherd

0 votes

a Poodle

1 votes

47 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 24 comments

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Comments

shot selection

the guys is a hucker and the sonics haven't really tried to curb his questionable shot selection. he has the tools to be really good but at this point he looks like a 19 year old for sure.

On any other team that has some legitimate talent that he would have to share the ball with i would say he wouldn't do as well

Travis Outlaw drops the sledgehammer on Daequan Cook for a dunk so vicious, it's illegal in 48 states.

by BlazerBandit on Apr 5, 2008 9:55 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

re: shot selection

On the contrary, I think he would do as well with less erratic shot selection on a team with more talent. He's 19 and is already the fulcrum of the Sonics' offense, which I think exacerbates his poor shot selection. I think if he were on a team that had a legitimate star or two, his stats would be about the same but with a better field goal percentage. I think it's also important to note that his shot selection has definitely improved over the course of the season.

On another note, the thing that has really impressed me with Durant this year has been his clear fundamental skill. His physical strength and NBA experience are both obviously lacking at this point, but the guy moves like he's been playing in the league for several years. It's apparent by the way he plays that he has spent his life practicing and practicing and practicing to play at this level.

by bocious on Apr 6, 2008 2:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Regarding shot selection

It's been A LOT better over the past month. In fact, it boosted his FG% from a miserable 40% to 42.5%. Hell, LeBron was shooting 41.7% his rookie year and considering their PPG are pretty close on their rookie years, something tells me that with more muscle, Durant can be the same scoring machine as LeBron with more quickness, albeit not as complete as player.

by Eventine on Apr 6, 2008 10:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

maybe sour grapes

but i really believe that he will be one of the best players on an average team. its funny i am watching the suns v. mavs game and they just mentioned that neither t-mac or g.hill have won a playoff series. thats the kind of future i think (or hope) that durant will have. unlike a lebron he needs other players to help create on offense. lebron improved his range but was always great at finishing near the hoop, durant the opposite. is this reverse improvement possible? i want to make it clear that i really want durant to fail only because i dont want to wonder what if for the rest of my life.

by lefty30 on Apr 6, 2008 2:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was going to point out the same.

Durant's game all around has improved the last month & a half. Prior to that I thought he had some big holes in his game, but lately he looks like he's learning the NBA game and putting that to use.

by timg56 on Apr 7, 2008 1:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

A solid B for me

We knew from the start KD lacked the strength required in the NBA.

Then the Sonics dumped Ray Allen as well as Rashard (and for that ludicrous contract I would too). So basically all Seattle had left was a bunch of stiffs at center, Jell-o ball, and Luke Ridnour, and Earl Watson at PG. Yikes.

To have a first year player, 2 years removed from HS, who lacks the NBA body, be your only threat on offense is not a good siltation. That's how I judge KD's stats. So he's been a poor defender, rebounder, and passer, but that's to be expected. He's putting up numbers on a bad team, at a rate that isn't terribly inefficient but is far from satisfactory.

What's really impressed me is that he didn't hit that rookie wall mid season. In fact March has been his best month, where he's pretty much wrapped up the ROY. If Seattle didn't blow their #5 pick on Jeff Green he would have been having a much better season. That's all speculation though.

He's done as well as can be expected on a team whose offense can only be described as pathetic. Next year after the Sonics get Rose or Beasly and add their 2 other 1st rounders, I'll judge with more scrutiny. There just isn't enough talent on the Seattle roster, to say he has under preformed this season.

by Dheepan on Apr 5, 2008 10:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

They have Jeff Green too

And why did you mention Jelloball? He's not exactly lighting up the league, is he?

I think you mentioned Jelloball just because you think that is a humorous nickname.

Would you trade Jack for Jelloball? Which single player on the Blazers do you think would be a fair trade for Jelloball?

Nature bats last.

by fisheyes on Apr 5, 2008 10:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol

Yes I couldn't help it. Who was the scrub that killed us last game? Jell-o ball did kill us the prior sonics game.

I did mention Jeff Green but to me he is going to be a decent role player that plays good defense. He's averaging like 10 and 4.5 shooting 43% on a horrendous lottery bound-Oklahoma bound team. If his team is this bad he should be averaging more than 28 minutes a game in my opinion.

by Dheepan on Apr 5, 2008 10:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The scrub that lit us up last game...

was Damien Wilkins, Dominique's nephew. I knew when he started scoring on us like that the game was over. Every starter on the Sonics shot way above their averages that night.

by bocious on Apr 6, 2008 2:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

KD35

Is clearly going to be outstanding. Especially once the strength comes and experience kicks in, and his team improves. He's going to be ridiculously hard to guard and he's probably going to frustrate us many times.

Formerly known as Junit3123

by Jason3123 on Apr 5, 2008 11:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

like....... Tracy Mgrady

........No championships

by raging WebTed on Apr 5, 2008 11:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

KD = A-

Sonics = F

For more pictures and videos, check out the BlazersEdge Facebook group and www.youtube.com/blazersedgeben

by Ben. on Apr 5, 2008 11:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Like with the Blazers

This is way too early to judge a young player. I like Kevin's willingness to carry the offense and he is being schooled on defense but with only 1 year of college ball he will show in a couple more years more defense and more wisdom in his shot selections.

I see the similarities with Tracy McGrady. However McGrady shot 45% to Durant's 42% FG and 34% to Durant's 28% 3-point FG. On a 36 minute basis Durant scores 21 points to McGrady's 14 points. Durant's defensive WIN shares are 4.5 vs McGrady's 1.8.

Other comparisons are interesting against Ray Allen (the player Durant replaced) and Brandon Roy (his primary young competitor at SG in the PNW. On a 36 minute basis for his rookie year Allen scored 16 points and Roy 17 points. Allen shot 39% from 3-point and Roy shot 28% from 3-point. Allen's defensive WIN shares are 4.5 while Roy was 3.2 and Allen 4.2. Considering that McGrady was 18 (no college)(age at start of rookie season),Durant 20 (1 year college) Allen was 22 (4 years college) and Roy was 23 (4 years college) Durant looks pretty good so far.

Stats are from Basketball Reference.

by lee3022 on Apr 6, 2008 2:09 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Whar impresses me is how well KD

has handled the whole gamut of issues he's had to deal with in his rookie year while still giving it his all. Maturity, dedication to a personal goal, will to succeed, whatever you call it, he's got it. It's hard not to imagine him in a Blazer uniform. Cheese.

by annthefan on Apr 6, 2008 3:46 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

English bulldog

with a little more hair but minus the bow legs.

"Aldridge is LaMonster, as anyone can see..." - ClipperSteve, 03/24/08

by jorga on Apr 6, 2008 8:19 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Meant to add

thanks for the music - that was cool.

"Aldridge is LaMonster, as anyone can see..." - ClipperSteve, 03/24/08

by jorga on Apr 6, 2008 8:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm thinkin'...

...this is Sergio's other night job...

"The early bird gets the worm. The second mouse gets the cheese." Don Monette

by Dr Dave on Apr 6, 2008 2:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Durant's first season: B+

..................................... Started weak, finished strong. He's pretty dang skinny, which will limit his game somewhat. But as long as they play him at the 2, it shouldn't be an issue. He'll be a very good pro, but he's not Michael Jordan.

"You don't live by the jumpshot, you die by the jumpshot." ---Charles Barkley, 2/7/08

by timbo on Apr 6, 2008 8:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He's young.

That's the main thing to keep in mind IMO. If he were as old as Al Thornton, he'd probably be in striking distance of the bust label. He was supposed to be a guarenteed all-star, and he's not playing anywhere close to one...right now. However, he has 5 years to reach Al Thornton age. He has 3 full years to simply eclipse Roy's rookie season. While I would say Roy had a far better rookie season (shooting percentages, turnovers, assists, defense), it's hard to imagine Durant not passing that level sometime soon.

I'd also like to add that Durant as 2-guard seems like a really bad idea to me. I think he'd improve in at least rebounding and shot blocking on defense. On offense, he would probably be in less of a position to chuck up the 3-pointer too. Very few SF's actually post up; even if they do, his lankiness might save him from getting destroyed. He already gets destroyed by faster SG's, which are probably more common than post-up SF's.

I'd give him around a B-, though that is all about the extremely inflated expectations for a 19-year-old rookie.

by poster on Apr 6, 2008 10:15 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I am not impressed

One of the worst teams in the league plays significantly worse when Durant is in the game then when he is not. Durant scores a lot of points, but he is not especially efficient at doing so and has a lot of turnovers. Because of this, Seattle's offense actually gets a little bit less effective when he is in the game then when he is not. Defensively Durant is a major liability. While he does show signs of improvement, Durant still has a very long way to go before he lives up to the hype he had when he was drafted.

by trk on Apr 6, 2008 2:57 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

he just shocked the nuggets tonite

two game-tying 3s at the end of regulation and the 1st overtime. those two sonic rookies are turning some heads. if they get rose, oklahoma city will not be a place any team wants to go to.

by spikex on Apr 6, 2008 9:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yup

That's exactly what I was afraid of.

"Life is a meaningless sequence of events in between Blazer championships"

by broggerboy19 on Apr 7, 2008 1:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice Music Thing

I was going to write a diary at the end of the year about how great it is, when I think about how far the team has come this year. I was going to have people listen to Matchbox Twenty- How Far We've Come, while they read. Great job Dr. Dave.

I'm tominhawaii and I approved this message.

by tominhawaii on Apr 7, 2008 11:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Erik Mongrain

There is no way that guy is not a vampire. If I was going to link that video it would say, "This is how vampires play guitar." Nice music though; evil creatures have always been masters of string instruments.

I'm responding later because I have to go home from work to watch YouTube.

I'm tominhawaii and I approved this message.

by tominhawaii on Apr 8, 2008 4:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs