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Durant and the Thunder

  • I love the Thunder and how well they run their organization. I love how lethal all their young guns are, and my favorite player in the NBA is Westbrook. I thInk that the Thunder push really hard to make KD the face of the program and I have no problem with that. However, when it comes to clutch plays down the stretch, it seems KD is always the only option.

    I don't believe KD is a cold blooded killer yet. In his career, I believe he has 3 or 4 game winning shots while he is in double digits in game winning misses. Take tonight for example, Westbrook and Harden were having the quality shooting night, but down by 2 with 1:30 to go, every timeout huddle had the play designed as a KD clear out jumper. He went 0-3 and the Thunder lose by 7 or so.

    I don't think KD is like Kobe in that he demands the big shot, but I don't think he's willing to pull a Lebron and wave it off. Brooks and the staff would be better served not forcing the big shot on KD every single time. Some times it seems like he just isn't looking forward to it coming out of the huddle, but he knows better than to pass it off.

    KD is it playing well right now despite his numbers. Kevin Durant, after a first half season of stardom, isn't progressing further into a championship caliber player. Maybe it's just a 5 game slump, regardless, KD isnt a closer right now. For some reason Brooks keeps forcing the ball into Durant's hands. If that's me in those last 3 huddles, I'm drawing up a a play that the other team isn't expecting. KD doesn't even look to want it lately. Read a player's demeanor, if he doesn't have it then excite the other guys and draw up one for Harden or Westbrook.

    In my opinion, in the future, KD will eventually season into the closer role. I wish though, that it wouldn't be forced on him too soon. He isn't ready, and it's not smart to force it on him. In the end, we are after a championship, not a KD statue.

    Frustrating lately.

    Let Harden or Westbrook mix in in with KD down the stretch and win or lose, the team will be better.

    This post has been edited 3 times, most recently by Deep Red on 3/21/2012 at 1:15 AM

    Deep Red ●

  • I brought some seasoned chicken with me today to work to eat for lunch.

    progsooner

  • KD has been the go to guy for a long time now. He IS the man. Westbrook and Harden are excellent too; Westbrook especially plays angry, but when it comes time? It's KD all the way and it's not even close. KD has had a MILD slump the last few games, but he still has more rebounds and usually more points than anyone else even when he's in a mild slump- NOT to mention he sometimes has as many, or more assists than Westbrook.

    hooknladder

  • KD is the only cold blooded killer. Look at the Dallas game earlier this season. He's done it time after time. Westbrook is playing out of his mind this year and Harden is my favorite player but KD is without a doubt THE guy. Without Westbrook okc is a top 5 seed still. Without KD, okc isn't a playoff team.

    SoonerSeif ●

  • progsooner said...

    I brought some seasoned chicken with me today to work to eat for lunch.

    Be sure and stick that chicken in your ass for some extra seasoning right before you eat it.

    Deep Red ●

  • SoonerSeif said...

    KD is the only cold blooded killer. Look at the Dallas game earlier this season. He's done it time after time. Westbrook is playing out of his mind this year and Harden is my favorite player but KD is without a doubt THE guy. Without Westbrook okc is a top 5 seed still. Without KD, okc isn't a playoff team.

    You can only look at the Dallas game early this season as an example of Durant's killer close outs because that's the only one he has hit a game winner in. He also hit one last season. KD has hit some really key shots down the stretch of games that were huge in the win, however, so have Harden and Westbrook.

    When you say that KD is the only closer, that's because no one else has been given the chance. OKC has 3 players that can create their shot, to only use one of them continuously to shoot the game winner isn't team basketball. Last night, KD's jacked up missed jumpers with 1:30 to go cost OKC the win. His lack of closing ability last night to go with his poor performance prior to that point were signs that he shouldn't have had the game on his shoulders.

    Deep Red ●

  • Deep Red said...

    I love the Thunder and how well they run their organization. I love how lethal all their young guns are, and my favorite player in the NBA is Westbrook. I thInk that the Thunder push really hard to make KD the face of the program and I have no problem with that. However, when it comes to clutch plays down the stretch, it seems KD is always the only option.

    I don't believe KD is a cold blooded killer yet. In his career, I believe he has 3 or 4 game winning shots while he is in double digits in game winning misses. Take tonight for example, Westbrook and Harden were having the quality shooting night, but down by 2 with 1:30 to go, every timeout huddle had the play designed as a KD clear out jumper. He went 0-3 and the Thunder lose by 7 or so.

    I don't think KD is like Kobe in that he demands the big shot, but I don't think he's willing to pull a Lebron and wave it off. Brooks and the staff would be better served not forcing the big shot on KD every single time. Some times it seems like he just isn't looking forward to it coming out of the huddle, but he knows better than to pass it off.

    KD is it playing well right now despite his numbers. Kevin Durant, after a first half season of stardom, isn't progressing further into a championship caliber player. Maybe it's just a 5 game slump, regardless, KD isnt a closer right now. For some reason Brooks keeps forcing the ball into Durant's hands. If that's me in those last 3 huddles, I'm drawing up a a play that the other team isn't expecting. KD doesn't even look to want it lately. Read a player's demeanor, if he doesn't have it then excite the other guys and draw up one for Harden or Westbrook.

    In my opinion, in the future, KD will eventually season into the closer role. I wish though, that it wouldn't be forced on him too soon. He isn't ready, and it's not smart to force it on him. In the end, we are after a championship, not a KD statue.

    Frustrating lately.

    Let Harden or Westbrook mix in in with KD down the stretch and win or lose, the team will be better.

    Who cares. GO CLIPPERS!!!!

    sooner racer

  • KD must have seen Deep Red's post. Two clutch shots against the T-Wolves lol.

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    As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

    3000A

  • Deep Red is wrong on this one. KD and Kobe and maybe Rose are the 3 I would rank as the best in the NBA to win a game. Nowitski last year maybe. KD has proved it time and time again. I don't know what games you have been watching Red.

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    The two best professional rookies in 2010 and both from Oklahoma City,Oklahoma.

    SoonerPeace

  • SoonerPeace said...

    Deep Red is wrong on this one. KD and Kobe and maybe Rose are the 3 I would rank as the best in the NBA to win a game. Nowitski last year maybe. KD has proved it time and time again. I don't know what games you have been watching Red.

    Agreed!

    KD is the best on the team (maybe in the league) at sinking shots with guys hanging all over him. I can't say the same about Westbrook who seems to not do well when smothered. And Hardin will just pass the ball to another player and not force a shot, which is one of the reasons I love him!

    signature image

    Things are rarely perfect or totally bad. Reality=closer to the middle. Never as bad as it seems, never as good as it seems.

    hoodleehoo

  • SoonerPeace said...

    Deep Red is wrong on this one. KD and Kobe and maybe Rose are the 3 I would rank as the best in the NBA to win a game. Nowitski last year maybe. KD has proved it time and time again. I don't know what games you have been watching Red.

    Everyone of them. I havent missed one. It was good to see him hit a couple shots last night. On one of his 3s they actually ran a play for him with a screen from Collison. The other was the typical clear out pull up 3 pointer from the top of the key. Both were bIg shots a long with another big fade away 2 near the baseline.

    I don't know why Peace you would rank him so high in winning a game with a shot, in his career he has 3. One game winning shot a year shouldn't put you at the top of any list especially when you tally up his clear out misses to win a game. He has a slew of those. He's the only option and that's not team ball. I would imagine their last shot percentage would be better if Harden or Westbrook were mixed in as options.

    Deep Red ●

  • hoodleehoo said...

    Agreed!

    KD is the best on the team (maybe in the league) at sinking shots with guys hanging all over him. I can't say the same about Westbrook who seems to not do well when smothered. And Hardin will just pass the ball to another player and not force a shot, which is one of the reasons I love him!

    Deep Red said...

    Everyone of them. I havent missed one. It was good to see him hit a couple shots last night. On one of his 3s they actually ran a play for him with a screen from Collison. The other was the typical clear out pull up 3 pointer from the top of the key. Both were bIg shots a long with another big fade away 2 near the baseline.

    I don't know why Peace you would rank him so high in winning a game with a shot, in his career he has 3. One game winning shot a year shouldn't put you at the top of any list especially when you tally up his clear out misses to win a game. He has a slew of those. He's the only option and that's not team ball. I would imagine their last shot percentage would be better if Harden or Westbrook were mixed in as options.

    I guess Hood and me have watched the same games. Deep Red KD has won games ever since he got here with late heroics. The guy is money.

    signature image signature image signature image

    The two best professional rookies in 2010 and both from Oklahoma City,Oklahoma.

    SoonerPeace

  • SoonerPeace said...

    I guess Hood and me have watched the same games. Deep Red KD has won games ever since he got here with late heroics. The guy is money.

    He has won 3 in his career including one this year against Dallas. He has failed to win 3 this year off the top of my head with last second misses.

    If you watch every game, then you would know that just recently he shot us out of San Antonio and Houston games.

    Deep Red ●

  • I would say on last second shots, if you're stats are correct, 3/6 (50 percent) is pretty dang good. I have no stats to offer or inside knowledge other than a decent knowledge of the game from playing it for years and quite a lot of Thunder games, but I'd say that Durant is quite clutch. Currently, Kobe is the "most clutch" Id then say there's a second group with KD, Dirk, maybe Chris Paul, and maybe...Dwayne Wade and Ray Allen...? Just my opinion.

    stubbysooner1 ●

  • stubbysooner1 said...

    I would say on last second shots, if you're stats are correct, 3/6 (50 percent) is pretty dang good. I have no stats to offer or inside knowledge other than a decent knowledge of the game from playing it for years and quite a lot of Thunder games, but I'd say that Durant is quite clutch. Currently, Kobe is the "most clutch" Id then say there's a second group with KD, Dirk, maybe Chris Paul, and maybe...Dwayne Wade and Ray Allen...? Just my opinion.

    3/6 is no where close. Durant has 3 game winning shots in his 4 year career. He hit one this season against Dallas that was huge and very exciting. He hit one early last season at the buzzer for an exciting win. In his first two seasons he also hit one game winner and maybe another for 4 total but I don't actually remember a 4th. We didn't win many his first year.

    As far as only 6 games where he didn't hit the shot, he's approaching that this season alone. For his career, I'd put the ratio at 3-4 wins to 15-20 game winning misses.

    Of course this doesn't include big shots in the 4th that have helped bring the Thunder back for eventual wins, he has plenty of those. However, Westbrook and Harden share equally to Durant in 4th qtr big shots. Westbrook had 9 points in the 2nd OT last night and finished with 45 total. His play down the stretch made it unnecessary for a game winning shot.

    My point of this topic is that the Thunder would be better suited to run last shot plays to include Harden and Westbrook along with Durant. So far they have yet to do it and the opponent knows it. given KDs success rate on game winning shots, there is a good chance the Thunder would hit more game winners if the other two superstars had a chance.

    As far as other players that are known for closing out games, Melo Anthony may be the best in the league. I don't have the stats to be exact.

    Deep Red ●

  • I will take this stat over last second shots.

    Sortable NBA Player Clutch stats

    NBA 2011-12 season player clutch stats in the fourth quarter and overtime of close games, including points, rebounds, assists, field goal percentage and more.

    www.82games.com

    Boomer Sooner!! Phi Alpha!!!

    OUSAE

  • OUSAE said...

    I will take this stat over last second shots.

    KD is the NBAs 2nd leading scorer and he's the Thunder's go to guy in the last 5 minutes. Not a surprise to me to see him top that list even though it only reflects half their games this season.

    It's odd that you prefer that stat to his game winning shot stats. You don't become Mr Clutch by hitting shots in the last 5 minutes, you get it by being known to win a game with a clutch shot. For as many opportunities KD has had, he isn't clutch in winning games at the buzzer.

    No one really disputes Lebron James is the best player in the game, but there are a lot of people who question his clutchness down the stretch. KD needs to hit at a higher percentage to close out games. It would help him if it wasn't always on his shoulders. There are two other guys on his team that are just as capable of hitting the big shot.

    Deep Red ●

  • ESPN NBA talking heads tonight: KD= best iso player in league.

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    The two best professional rookies in 2010 and both from Oklahoma City,Oklahoma.

    SoonerPeace

  • Over the last 5 years with 10 seconds or less to tie or take the lead a few notable players look like this:

    Durant 11-45 .244
    Lebron 7-34 .206
    Kobe 14-40 .350
    Melo 11-29 .379
    Wade 7-36 .194
    Dirk 10-25 .400

    signature image signature image signature image

    The two best professional rookies in 2010 and both from Oklahoma City,Oklahoma.

    SoonerPeace

  • SoonerPeace said...

    Over the last 5 years with 10 seconds or less to tie or take the lead a few notable players look like this:

    Durant 11-45 .244
    Lebron 7-34 .206
    Kobe 14-40 .350
    Melo 11-29 .379
    Wade 7-36 .194
    Dirk 10-25 .400

    That's about how I would have figured. It shows he's shot more shots in 4 years than the all the others have in 5. If the Thunder would spread the ball amongst their other players, I would guess that they would have more quality looks and naturally hit at a higher percentage.

    KD is a much better shooter than 24%, and the quality of those last second shots are reflected in that 24%. KD is a great shooter and I'm thrilled he is on the Thunder. I'm thankful every game that Portland took Oden and left Durant to Seattle. However, basketball is a team sport and while you may not want Perkins taking the last shot, I think OKC would be better served mixing in looks to RW and JH. For one, that last 10 second percentage likely would improve, and two, the team aspect of the Thunder would benefit as well. It's a team sport and OKC has 3 superstars, or 4 if you count Ibaka.

    Deep Red ●

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