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
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).
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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?