The Education of Kevin Durant

I know it's not Warriors related, but I enjoyed reading this article from the people at Basketball Prospectus on how the Oklahoma City Thunder coaching change has made a big change in the team's and Kevin Durant's play. Despite compiling the same record under Scotty Brooks as PJ Carlesimo, it appears the Thunder are improving and Durant has become near All-Star worthy.

"Quite simply, Durant is playing a different game. It's also a much better one, as reflected in the massive spikes in his effective field-goal percentage and his True Shooting Percentage. Durant has gone from a low-efficiency, volume shooter to the kind of lethal, highly-efficient scorer he was in his lone season at Texas. And he's done it while slashing his turnovers as well."

I'm not sure why the Sonics/Thunder hired PJ in the first place when Durant was drafted. I've been a fan of Durant since he played in Texas so I'd like to see his continued improvement. We'll get another look at him on New Year's Eve. Another 40 point game in the works?

6 months ago Fantasy Junkie Comment 17 comments 0 recs |

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I know it’s not Warriors related

Even better!

I read this piece earlier today and I was looking over KD’s game log.

The guy’s absolutely on fire this final month of 2008:
25.3ppg (48% FG, 53.1% 3pt), 7.4 rpg, 1.5 blk, and 1.6 stl

His assist : turnover ration needs work, but it’s steadily improving and it’s not like he has a whole lot to pass to on the OKC Thieves.

Now that’s a young guy you play big minutes and build around. Superstar in the making.

If we could sucker OKC like they did to the Sonics fans, I’d seriously trade Andris Biedrins, Moped Ellis, and Brandan Wright for Kevin Durant in a 3 for 1 swap. Too bad it’s impossible cap wise and there’s no way OKC would do it.

by Atma Brother ONE on Dec 18, 2008 9:15 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

The guy’s absolutely on fire this final month of 2008

I think you just hit the nail on the head. He’s just on fire. Has nothing to do with the coaching. He’ll come back down to earth, he’s not going to keep shooting 53% from 3. I’m not saying he’s not getting better, but he’s not going to keep up those percentages, and I’d doubt it’s coach related.

"No no Nene!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB5DxNl4EB0

by Dubs fan in Boston on Dec 19, 2008 6:14 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

As long as we're talking about hot months...

Let’s think back fondly to Moped’s breakout January ’08, shall we?

26.0 ppg (60% fg), 4.7 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.7 to (almost 3:1 ratio, compared to KD’s sad < 1:1 ratio).

Scary thing is, his February and March ’08 were only marginally less impressive:

Feb: 22.6 ppg (53% fg), 6.3 rpg, 4.6 apg, 1.6 stl
Mar: 22.3 ppg (54% fg), 6.3 rpg, 4.3 apg, 2.7 stl

I’d take any of those three months over Durant’s December ‘08. When a 22 y.o. kid puts up three consecutive months like that, it doesn’t seem that silly to hand him the keys to the franchise. 20:20 hindsight aside, hitching the team’s star to him may have been one of the least stupid moves the Warriors’ FO has made in the past year (and honestly, if we had heard stories about him tootling around barefoot on his scooter but he hadn’t been injured, would anybody here have cared?)

On topic, I’m also happy to see Durant finally starting to resemble the kid we all knew and loved at UT. The fact that he’s hitting the glass and being more active on D is to me even more encouraging than the high FG% I doubt he’ll be the once-in-a-generation franchise-type player Bill Simmons and others (including me) dreamt he’d be, but he is finally looking like a perennial all-star in the making.

OBAMA AMABO

by Sleepy Freud on Dec 19, 2008 9:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i really hope this isn't call for a coaching change...

pj coached 18 games, new guy 8. thats a small sample size, plus it’s a 2nd year player, he should be blooming anyways. this could easily just be that “boost” from a coaching change. is that what we want? 8 games of better stats for our players with the same team record? if it’s not warriors related, then why post it?

by HoLdEmUP on Dec 18, 2008 10:21 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

if it’s not warriors related, then why post it?

Because he wanted to?

by Atma Brother ONE on Dec 18, 2008 10:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i mean there aren't many posts on the main page of this insignificance

especially non warriors related… although i don’t know what player it would be referring to. just that durant was playing out of position.

by HoLdEmUP on Dec 19, 2008 12:21 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree, the mods are bored

by smearthebeard on Dec 19, 2008 7:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think its cool that the mods throw out a quick fanshot of what else is going on out there here and there

What is the status of our petitions to fire Robert Rowell and have Chris Cohan commit Hari Kiri, or at least sell the team?

by warriorsscore110 on Dec 19, 2008 8:53 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I find it interesting analysis of how a slight change in how the players play (i.e. spreading the floor more) has opened up the game for Durant and improved his numbers drastically.

I’m a basketball fan, not just a Warriors fan. I suspect that the majority of the people who visit this site are as well.

by Fantasy Junkie on Dec 19, 2008 9:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

But what's his PER and +/- ?

I pray i never have to use a gun again...

...unless i'm at a strip club parking lot...

...and somebody tries to run me over with their car...

...But how often does that happen??

by ssmokinjoe on Dec 18, 2008 11:21 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

We are forever grateful that you aren't a fan of OPRAH

by smearthebeard on Dec 19, 2008 7:20 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Haha, who said I’m not?

by Fantasy Junkie on Dec 19, 2008 9:15 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

FJ’s secret crush on Oprah revealed!

by Atma Brother ONE on Dec 19, 2008 9:18 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm so glad that there's a Durant article here

He is my favorite player in the whole game. I haven’t had a single favorite player since Scottie Pippen left. That’s why when we beat OKC, I had the best of both worlds. Durant’s monster game, and a Dubs win. I brag every day about how the NBA will soon be Durant’s league. He sure made me look like I know what I’m talking about. I’m the only person I know of around here who copped his K-Smoothe shoes last year.

by Golden Boy on Dec 19, 2008 3:30 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

"Durant's League"

Um… LeBron, CP3, and Howard — among others — say, “hi.”

Durant’s still a D-Leaguer compared to those cats. Maybe someday he’ll be in their league, maybe not. Preventing his team from being the worst in NBA history would be a step in the right direction.

OBAMA AMABO

by Sleepy Freud on Dec 19, 2008 9:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

D-League = Durant’s League?

by Fantasy Junkie on Dec 19, 2008 11:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

What's wrong with you people?

Seems like no one can express their opinion. Someone always has to counter. Yes, those guys are all-stars, but we all have our opinion on who’s #1. To me, no matter what none of ya’ll say, is Durant.

by Golden Boy on Dec 20, 2008 11:37 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs