If you want to be regarded as one of the league’s elite super stars there’s no better place to show your skills than in post season. As we all know, Oklahoma City missed the playoffs last season when Kevin Durant missed 55 games due to a Jones fracture injury.
So far this post season, Kevin Durant has not been elite. Russell Westbrook maintained Durant’s Game 2 woes versus the Mavs was just a one time thing, but not the case when you really look at the numbers.
Last night in Game 1 against the Spurs — Durant’s line read 33 minutes, 6-15, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 turnover, -31. The whole team was miserable, so we’ll push that to the side for the moment.
But when you go back and examine Durant’s body of work in the Dallas series against a team with no real defensive prowess the numbers in those five games are revealing. No Kawhi Leonard. No Tony Allen. No LeBron James. Just a Dallas team trying to field a team.
In the five Dallas games, these were Durant’s numbers… 43-117 (36%) from the field, 11-41 (26%) from three point, 16 assists, 18 turnovers.
Not exactly the numbers Billy Donovan and his club need from Kevin Durant if their season is to extend beyond next week-end.
OKC’s margin to compete and possibly beat the Spurs is razor thin with Durant playing well, with Durant playing like this the Thunder have no chance.