The transition for the four-time scoring champion Kevin Durant has been nothing but beneficial for him 22 games into the regular season. After shooting 50 percent or better the past five seasons, the Golden State Warriors' hybrid forward has taken it to another level, scoring at a 27 points per game clip and shooting 56.5 percent from the floor and 42 percent from deep — all while boasting career highs in rebounds (8.4), steals (1.5), and blocks (1.8).
In a system where the ball often finds the open man and the hot hand, Durant has seen his efficiency skyrocket after making a conscious effort to take the best shot available to him.
“He's even better than he was billed to us,” said Warriors assistant coach Bruce Fraser told ESPN's Marc Stein. “He can go out and get 50 easy. He's that good. And in our environment, no one would get upset.”
“You can see our guys trying to get KD the ball more at times. But he's chosen to blend in, learn and try to do it the right way.”
Durant has taken a methodical approach to his shot selection this season, setting a criteria for himself during game situations and so far, it's paid splendid dividends.
“I look at it like, if I shoot 15-16 shots a night, 13 of 'em gotta be solid, and the rest can be some pull-up threes or fadeaways that I kind of work on that I wouldn't mind if I make or miss those,” Durant said. “I look at those other shots like heat checks — just trying stuff.”
“But I know what our offense is. So when I get those shots that I get, I know that I gotta be patient with 'em. And I know I also gotta be… they're precious. I think, my shots now, I value them a little more than I did before 'cause I might not shoot 30 shots whenever I want. And that's not a bad thing. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. That's just how we play here… especially when you got two other guys on the perimeter that can go off and score 30 any night as well.”
Durant is also leading the team in blocks which has made him an even more valuable asset now that Golden State is playing smaller for longer periods.
“I'll take that,” Durant said with a smile. “I go into games looking for [blocks]. I think that ignites our team and our crowd, so I'm looking for those now. I'm sure there's going to be times where I get dunked on and where I'll be embarrassed. But they want me to protect the rim. They want me to be there because we play small a lot, and I can use my length.
“I had six [blocks] in one game, and I felt great about myself.”
Follow Us
Subscribe