Kevin Durant has shown throughout the postseason just how versatile his game has become since joining the Golden State Warriors. Tasked with a man-to-man and help side role on defense, the Slim Reaper has maximized his length and athleticism, getting it done in tremendous ways at both ends of the floor — logging the least amount of minutes (33.4 per game), but boasting career-highs in field goal percentage (53.7 percent), rebounds (8.3 per game), blocks (1.6 per game) — all while keeping his turnovers to a career-low 2.2 per game.
After dropping a monster 33-13-6-3-5 stat line in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, his teammate Draymond Green, who only saw 25 minutes in the game due to constant foul trouble, marveled at his ability on the floor when asked to compare him with Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James — going as far as to say Durant would make the ideal created player in a video game.
“LeBron is a great player, but ‘K’ is great,” Green told Newsday's Al Iannazzone before Warriors practice Tuesday. “I think ‘KD’ is like a created player. If you go in and create this player and he can do everything he wants to do, you’re probably going to create Kevin Durant. He’s special. But both of those guys are special.
“I don’t think either one of them is out here playing in these Finals for the title of best player in the world. They’re playing for a title, an NBA title.”
Durant's wingspan has been every bit of the remedy to the Warriors' lack of size when going small, notching not only five blocks in Green's absence, but also three steals. His offensive prowess has gotten deadlier as the series go along, averaging 35.5 points per game this series, compared to his 21-points-per-game clip in the first round.
Yet much has been made about him and James competing for the title of the best player in today's NBA — especially after a soon-to-be-retired Paul Pierce claimed Durant had surpassed James for that title.
“I think that’s the last thing on both of their minds: Who’s going to say who’s better,” Green said. “At the end of the day, it don’t matter. If you don’t win, and someone says he’s the best player in the world, what do you get from that? But you get a lot more from getting a ring. I think that’s both of those guys’ focus.
“If I had to look at it from the outside looking in, I would be willing to bet that both of them would rather have a title than that title.”
Follow Us
Subscribe