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Steve Kerr watched Kevin Durant win consecutive finals MVPs with the Golden State Warriors from 2016-2018. There were widespread doubts about Durant's ability to return to that form following his Achilles tear and departure from the Bay Area after the 2018-19 season.
Three years later, the former MVP is at the top of his game while leading the once-written-off Brooklyn Nets up the Eastern Conference standings. Kerr made it a point to remind everyone that Durant is still the same guy who led Golden State to back-to-back titles.
“He’s been one of the best players in the league for a decade, maybe more. So he’s just one of the great scorers of all time. He’s a phenomenal shooter, he can get any shot he wants, he’s the game guy,” Kerr said. “He doesn’t look any different to me now than he did a few years ago when he was playing with us. So happy for him, happy that he’s healthy and playing well.”
Kevin Durant dropped 21 points on 8-of-9 shooting in the first half of a blowout win over Kerr and the Warriors Wednesday. That came after he scored a career-best 26 points in the third quarter during Brooklyn's win over Detroit Sunday.
The former MVP is having one of the best starts to a season in his career, averaging 30.1 points (his best since 2013-14) while posting the league’s best field goal percentage (56.4 percent) among 30 players attempting 17.5 or more shots per game. Durant's 67.2% true shooting percentage would be the highest by a player to average 30 points in NBA history over a full season.
When was the last time a player hit three-straight threes in under a minute?
Incredible heat check from KD to close the 3rd last night. pic.twitter.com/jgE6zc2QaW
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 19, 2022
Despite facing double teams nearly every game, Durant has gotten to his spots with ease, shooting a league-best 60.1 percent on pull-up jumpers per Second Spectrum tracking. The 12-time All-Star agreed Wednesday when asked if this is the best he has ever shot the ball.
“Yeah, you could say that. I mean, I never shot this high on percentage before. Just thinking through the game a little bit different than I was before,” Kevin Durant said. “I always felt like I could shoot this well, but I think just the quality of shots and the looks that I'm getting and my focus level on my fundamentals is what's keeping me there.”
Kevin. Durant.
🗳️ https://t.co/a5e0asdw9g pic.twitter.com/fYkw0KLp1l
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 22, 2022
Durant spent three seasons alongside another all-time great scorer in Steph Curry with Golden State. Both have been the model of consistency throughout their careers, posting league-best numbers during their 15th and 14th seasons, respectively. Kerr offered a reminder to the NBA world not to take Durant and Curry's greatness for granted.
“I think the guys who are truly great, historic players, guys who will be remembered forever, like Kevin, like Steph [Curry], sometimes you take them for granted just cause they’re great every single night,” he said. “We expect Steph to be great every night. When I coached Kevin, I expected him to be great every night, and sometimes you need to stop and appreciate what you’re seeing because you’re looking at a couple of the greatest players of all time out there.”
Durant's stellar play has led Brooklyn to a league-best seven-game winning streak. The Nets have won 14 of their last 17 games, the league's best record over that span. After a 2-7 start, they sit just 2.5 games back of the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo is currently the MVP favorite having led the Bucks to a 22-9 record. Despite Brooklyn's early dysfunction, Durant has forced his way into the conversation after resurrecting the Nets over the last month. Durant will face off with Antetokounmpo with an opportunity to gain more ground in the standings when Brooklyn hosts Milwaukee Friday night.
