Kevin Durant Explodes

[espn_hall_of_famer]

Not quite the nice guy any longer. It was just a matter of time before the media darling turned.

http://newsok.com/kevin-durants-fru...article/3511145?custom_click=headlines_widget

 

[illmatic99]

What did you find so inflammatory?

He just sounded frustrated, which is understandable. I fully expect him to bounce back tonight (don't want him to, but he likely will).

 

[Mediocre Man]

I can't believe he isn't demanding the ball more, or wanting more ISO's


In all seriousness, I love that reaction. All the guy cares about is winning.

As for the Thunder and their fans, it's a little different when you are one of the hunter, and not one of the hunters.......isn't it?

 

[hasoos]

I had been discussing this with LittleAlex. We both noticed how sometimes Russel Westbrook decides that it is going to be the Russel Westbrook show. When that happens, things go south for OKC. You will also notice that Russel Westbrook also doesn't get most of his stats when he plays PG. He gets most of them when Maynor comes in and he moves to SG.

The bad thing is, this frustration now, is going to come out in this game tonight. It will either motivate them or crush them.

 

[BGrantFan]

“We just didn’t show up — I didn’t show up,” Durant said. “I’m the leader of this team. Everybody follows me. I didn’t show up. The team didn’t show up. That’s why we lost.”

The guy admitting he played like shit is a bad thing?

Durant is shooting 26 percent from behind the arc and, after a 6-for-24 night Wednesday, only 35.1 percent from the field.

“It’s just frustrating, man,” said Durant, whose six turnovers will also haunt him. “It’s something that you lose sleep over.”

What being honest has to do with Durant being a "nice guy" baffles me. Could the OP clarify his criticism, cuz I see an elite player who is blaming nobody but himself for a slow start.

 

[Pinwheel1]

It would have been much better for us if they would have lost by one. I am not embellishing when i say they were humiliated last nigtht by the Cliippers. And usually when good teams play that bad one night, they play extremely hard the next night. The Blazers better be ready to battle early on.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

The bad thing is, this frustration now, is going to come out in this game tonight. It will either motivate them or crush them.

Let's hope it motivates them, but we crush them.

 

[andalusian]

I can't believe he isn't demanding the ball more, or wanting more ISO's

Kevin Durant has a usage% of 34.0, Brandon Roy is at 26.9 - if Brandon had as many touches as Durant has - this forum would explode!

BTW - I think it's hard to complain about Westbrook this year, he is yet to have a bad game - and has kept them alive in the 4 games so far.

 

[hasoos]

Let's hope it motivates them, but we crush them.

My guess is they come out with a lot of energy, but if we survive that ok, hopefully the "Here we go again mentality" will set in at some point and they will fold.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I had been discussing this with LittleAlex. We both noticed how sometimes Russel Westbrook decides that it is going to be the Russel Westbrook show. When that happens, things go south for OKC. You will also notice that Russel Westbrook also doesn't get most of his stats when he plays PG. He gets most of them when Maynor comes in and he moves to SG.

The bad thing is, this frustration now, is going to come out in this game tonight. It will either motivate them or crush them.

Blazers have to come out early and take the wind out of a motivated OKC team . . . you know Durant is going to give a speech on defense and effort before the game. Hopefully a fast start by the Blazers and we can get OKC slipping back to low effort or maybe even pointing fingers.

I think Durant is overreacting a little. It's not even the first 10 games of the season. Many players haven't even hit thier stride. If he acts like this after a two game losing streak what is he going to act like if OKC goes on a 2-8 stretch.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

I think Durant is overreacting a little.

They got embarrassed by the Clippers and he shot 0-10 from 3 point land. He may be under-reacting!

 

[espn_hall_of_famer]

The guy admitting he played like shit is a bad thing?




What being honest has to do with Durant being a "nice guy" baffles me. Could the OP clarify his criticism, cuz I see an elite player who is blaming nobody but himself for a slow start.

I never criticized it, nor did I say that he said something inflammatory. I'm just reporting the facts of what happened. The usual unemotional KD that sits there like he's had a lobotomy when talking to the media finally got a firecracker up his rear and exploded to the media with emotion.

If anything, it's a little scary because this has been the quintessential failure on Durant's resume - that he's never been able to lead his team in the final minutes of a big game because he doesn't have the emotion or killer instinct that MJ, Kobe, Bird, Magic, Reggie Miller, etc all had that a superstar needs to have to actually win a big game.

The only big game he's ever won in his college or pro career is a little plastic trophy from the FIBA championship where he basically had role players on his team like Billips, Rose, Granger, Love, Iggy and others and was going against some team that had a couple NBA bench players with a bunch of 24-hour fitness players behind them.

So this might be KD's first sign of actually caring enough about the game to show some emotion and become a winner in the league instead of just putting up stats and folding when the pressure gets on him.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Wesbrook has played well from the games I have seen. But what is everyones take on James Hardin? I don't want to jinx it, but the games I have seen this year, I am not impressed at all. #3 pick in the draft..........still too soon? What do you guys think?

 

[KingSpeed]

It would have been much better for us if they would have lost by one. I am not embellishing when i say they were humiliated last nigtht by the Cliippers. And usually when good teams play that bad one night, they play extremely hard the next night. The Blazers better be ready to battle early on.

But the Blunder aren't a good team.

 

[BGrantFan]

I never criticized it, nor did I say that he said something inflammatory. I'm just reporting the facts of what happened. The usual unemotional KD that sits there like he's had a lobotomy when talking to the media finally got a firecracker up his rear and exploded to the media with emotion.

If anything, it's a little scary because this has been the quintessential failure on Durant's resume - that he's never been able to lead his team in the final minutes of a big game because he doesn't have the emotion or killer instinct that MJ, Kobe, Bird, Magic, Reggie Miller, etc all had that a superstar needs to have to actually win a big game.

The only big game he's ever won in his college or pro career is a little plastic trophy from the FIBA championship where he basically had role players on his team like Billips, Rose, Granger, Love, Iggy and others and was going against some team that had a couple NBA bench players with a bunch of 24-hour fitness players behind them.

So this might be KD's first sign of actually caring enough about the game to show some emotion and become a winner in the league instead of just putting up stats and folding when the pressure gets on him.

I still don't understand what this has to do with Durant being a "nice guy". Plus, that "little plastic trophy" actually did mean something to the players who played, and Durant did lead that team to a win in Turkey against Turkey.

I completely disagree with your post. I really don't see how any of your criticisms of Durant are based in reality. Seemed like a "hater" thread to me, and this post confirms it.

Plus, Reggie Miller? What big game championship did he ever win, let alone lead the team as the #1 player.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

Wesbrook has played well from the games I have seen. But what is everyones take on James Hardin? I don't want to jinx it, but the games I have seen this year, I am not impressed at all. #3 pick in the draft..........still too soon? What do you guys think?

I think the Brandon Roy comparisons at the draft were pretty far off.

 

[BlazerBeliever]

I don't see any problem with what he said. If my team had been blown out two games in a row I would be upset also.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

So this might be KD's first sign of actually caring enough about the game to show some emotion and become a winner in the league instead of just putting up stats and folding when the pressure gets on him.

I also think he took a giant step last year and winning two agains the Lakers was big. All of the press on him has said he is a gym rat.

He was absolutely dominate in FIBA play though and the play was not rec league quality. If not for Durant, the American team would not have won.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I never criticized it, nor did I say that he said something inflammatory. I'm just reporting the facts of what happened. The usual unemotional KD that sits there like he's had a lobotomy when talking to the media finally got a firecracker up his rear and exploded to the media with emotion.

If anything, it's a little scary because this has been the quintessential failure on Durant's resume - that he's never been able to lead his team in the final minutes of a big game because he doesn't have the emotion or killer instinct that MJ, Kobe, Bird, Magic, Reggie Miller, etc all had that a superstar needs to have to actually win a big game.

The only big game he's ever won in his college or pro career is a little plastic trophy from the FIBA championship where he basically had role players on his team like Billips, Rose, Granger, Love, Iggy and others and was going against some team that had a couple NBA bench players with a bunch of 24-hour fitness players behind them.

So this might be KD's first sign of actually caring enough about the game to show some emotion and become a winner in the league instead of just putting up stats and folding when the pressure gets on him.

With all due respect I've never seen a grosser mis-characterization of Durant. You may not like his post-game interview style, but that guy is pure assassin when it comes to the game.

 

[hasoos]

Wesbrook has played well from the games I have seen. But what is everyones take on James Hardin? I don't want to jinx it, but the games I have seen this year, I am not impressed at all. #3 pick in the draft..........still too soon? What do you guys think?

He was playing much better last year. But this year he doesn't look motivated to me. Maybe something to do with Sefalosha being given the starting spot ahead of him?

 

[hasoos]

I think Durant is overreacting a little.

They got embarrassed by the Clippers and he shot 0-10 from 3 point land. He may be under-reacting!

Not only that, but the Clippers rookie PG burned them badly. Bledsoe flat out tore them up. He played better than Baron Davis had all year.

 

[Nikolokolus]

He was playing much better last year. But this year he doesn't look motivated to me. Maybe something to do with Sefalosha being given the starting spot ahead of him?

I haven't really kept up with the Thunder this year. Are you saying that Maynor is their starting PG and Westbrook is now backing up Thabo?! That seems kind of nuts to me.

 

[BGrantFan]

I haven't really kept up with the Thunder this year. Are you saying that Maynor is their starting PG and Westbrook is now backing up Thabo?! That seems kind of nuts to me.

He's talking about Harden on the bench and Thabo starting.

 

[zeded]

I want to see Nate make sure that whoever is defending Durant comletely messes with Durant's head (whatever it takes) for the first few minutes to keep him off his game. If we come out like the last few games defensively he's going to fire away, get in a groove and it'll be a long night.

 

[Nikolokolus]

He's talking about Harden on the bench and Thabo starting.

Oops, somehow I glossed over Harden's name being mentioned in the post. Thanks for the heads-up

 

[Pinwheel1]

I want to see Nate make sure that whoever is defending Durant comletely messes with Durant's head (whatever it takes) for the first few minutes to keep him off his game. If we come out like the last few games defensively he's going to fire away, get in a groove and it'll be a long night.

My fear is the refs will be a factor. I can see Batum getting in early foul trouble trying to be aggressive, and the refs sending KD to line over and over allowing him to get into a groove.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I want to see Nate make sure that whoever is defending Durant comletely messes with Durant's head (whatever it takes) for the first few minutes to keep him off his game. If we come out like the last few games defensively he's going to fire away, get in a groove and it'll be a long night.

The trick is guarding him without fouling him and getting him to the line. Often as not he seems to get his stroke by basically taking practice shots at the foul line when his jumper isn't falling. So Nic and whomever else has to cover him is going to have to crowd him, but not fall for that up and under move he does with his arms when he's facing somebody up, and they need to make sure their help D is there to cut off his driving lane. In all honesty, I think he's going to have a little bit of a chip on his shoulder tonight after the way they played the Clips, he could go off for forty.

 

[THE HCP]

a- The Thunder are a good team
b- I can't stand Durants game
c- I wish they had beaten the Clips

 

[espn_hall_of_famer]

I still don't understand what this has to do with Durant being a "nice guy". Plus, that "little plastic trophy" actually did mean something to the players who played, and Durant did lead that team to a win in Turkey against Turkey.

I completely disagree with your post. I really don't see how any of your criticisms of Durant are based in reality. Seemed like a "hater" thread to me, and this post confirms it.

Take as you will. Won't argue the point. Like I said, I was just reporting the explosion, simple as that. I'm obviously not a "hater" as I don't even know the individual personally and don't follow him, so I have no reason to have an opinion on his game more than I would John Wall or Tyreke Evans or any other young up-and-coming player in the league.

My point simply was that we haven't seen emotion from this individual. We haven't seen him getting arrested, fighting guys in the parking lot, calling guys a cancer, telling the media "we played well, just cut the check". His persona that he's been trying to convey to the public has been reserved and "nice". How many explosions have we seen from him?

This has tended to translate to his killer instinct and lack of emotion in the final two minutes of crucial games. Call it what you want, but still everyone knows beating Turkey and Akyol, Guler, Ermis, Onan, Erden, Asik, Turkasuck, etc. even on their home court is like the Lakers beating Mt Vernon high school in Mt Vernon. Yes it was a home game, but about an 8-10 NBA player mismatch. Not taking it away from them, just like I'm not taking away the ABC Quarterback challenge that an NFL guy might win some appearance, or the Win it in a Minute championship that some player might win on NBA week during their special appearance, those trophies mean something to them, just not much more than a FIBA medal and not on the same hemosphere as an NCAA or NBA championship.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

My fear is the refs will be a factor. I can see Batum getting in early foul trouble trying to be aggressive, and the refs sending KD to line over and over allowing him to get into a groove.

http://www.covers.com/pageLoader/pageLoader.aspx?page=/data/nba/matchups/g5_referees_4.html

Capers, Lindsay, and Phillips will be calling it.