Kevin Durant

[KG]

Re: Kevin Durant

I mostly agree with you, but when I said "we underestimate", I was speaking specifically about me and DC. It's actually because his athleticism was overrated that I think people do this. The tendency is to focus on the most phenomenal athletes, then the great ones, and ignore everyone else.

But like I said, I overall agree. I probably disagree on the quickness point, but that's minor. I just can't think of many 6'6" 2 guards in history that were quicker than Kobe offensively or defensively. His first step has never been in question.

Great point on elite body control. Kobe's most impressive feature--IMO--is how he competes athletically with superior athletes based on willpower and body control.


But back to Kevin!


You take Lebron out of the equation, and look at Kevin's size, quickness and flexibility, and I think you have one of the toughest physical matchups in the league at SF. If you're a defender, even besides his shooting, his quickness and length are a real problem. It's something he's taking more advantage of as he gains experience. I hate to overstate the point, but his lack of strength is really skewing the rest of his athletic abilities right now.

I agree and will also add it's his length that really throws off how people perceive him athletically.

[DC]

Re: Kevin Durant

Yea Kobe's athleticsm is definitely overrated. Thats why I hate when people still say that they want to see him in a dunk contest. FOR WHAT!

Hell even in 2004 I wouldn't have paid to see him in a dunk contest........

[KG]

Re: Kevin Durant

Yea Kobe's athleticsm is definitely overrated. Thats why I hate when people still say that they want to see him in a dunk contest. FOR WHAT!

Hell even in 2004 I wouldn't have paid to see him in a dunk contest........

yeah, 30yr old, every off-season knee surgery KB doesn't need to be in it. Neither does Wince at this point. They had their time in the spotlight and have nothing else to prove.

[Tre74]

Re: Kevin Durant

I mostly agree with you, but when I said "we underestimate", I was speaking specifically about me and DC. It's actually because his athleticism was overrated that I think people do this. The tendency is to focus on the most phenomenal athletes, then the great ones, and ignore everyone else.

But like I said, I overall agree. I probably disagree on the quickness point, but that's minor. I just can't think of many 6'6" 2 guards in history that were quicker than Kobe offensively or defensively. His first step has never been in question.

Great point on elite body control. Kobe's most impressive feature--IMO--is how he competes athletically with superior athletes based on willpower and body control.


But back to Kevin!


You take Lebron out of the equation, and look at Kevin's size, quickness and flexibility, and I think you have one of the toughest physical matchups in the league at SF. If you're a defender, even besides his shooting, his quickness and length are a real problem. It's something he's taking more advantage of as he gains experience. I hate to overstate the point, but his lack of strength is really skewing the rest of his athletic abilities right now.

I agree. I dont see why ppl think kevin is not athletic. Its hard for him to look as athletic as other athletes because he is a glider. When he gets more strength he will be able to explode like everyone else. They ppl will really see how athletic he is. Its kind of like me in a sense. I play basketball and im a dunker. Im 6 feet tall. Some ppl think that i cant jump real high because i have really long arms. I think and i know that i can jump but because i dont have the explosion either, when i jump i looks like im putting little effort into it. I CAN jump high, at the same time im not explosive so when im actually jumping it doesnt like like im jumping that high which is how i think it is with kevin. Like u said borin when he gets strength and his body starts to mature then we will really see the true beauty of his athleticism. Nobody can name anyone else in the league that is a LEGIT 6'9 1/2 and can actually play the 2 guard like he does. And i say legit becasue most players have a inch added to their height in their profiles. But kevin is a legit 6'9 1/2. I think he is one of a kind

[dossier]

Re: Kevin Durant

I agree. I dont see why ppl think kevin is not athletic. Its hard for him to look as athletic as other athletes because he is a glider. When he gets more strength he will be able to explode like everyone else. They ppl will really see how athletic he is. Its kind of like me in a sense. I play basketball and im a dunker. Im 6 feet tall. Some ppl think that i cant jump real high because i have really long arms. I think and i know that i can jump but because i dont have the explosion either, when i jump i looks like im putting little effort into it. I CAN jump high, at the same time im not explosive so when im actually jumping it doesnt like like im jumping that high which is how i think it is with kevin. Like u said borin when he gets strength and his body starts to mature then we will really see the true beauty of his athleticism. Nobody can name anyone else in the league that is a LEGIT 6'9 1/2 and can actually play the 2 guard like he does. And i say legit becasue most players have a inch added to their height in their profiles. But kevin is a legit 6'9 1/2. I think he is one of a kind

Wall'o text.

[ProjectRipCity]

Re: Kevin Durant

McGrady/KG sounds right. He will be a top5 guy in years to come.

[DC]

Re: Kevin Durant

I would say
Less athletic TMAC + Dirk

Look at his shooting %'s; that Dirk like right there

[Altimus]

Re: Kevin Durant

KD disappointed with Horse trophy.

"I thought I was going to get a better trophy than that," Durant said. "But I was just happy that I represented Oklahoma City by not losing by that much."

I thought the Horse trophy was just a TV trophy for jokes. I figured the NBA would give him a real one off screen.

[dossier]

Re: Kevin Durant

KD disappointed with Horse trophy.


I thought the Horse trophy was just a TV trophy for jokes. I figured the NBA would give him a real one off screen.

Wasn't it just a barbie horse toy?

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: Kevin Durant

47 tonight. KD has not even cooled off. He probably hasn't even showered since Friday morning.

[Mo_Magic]

Re: Kevin Durant

We could go on and on about this for days, weeks.

The only thing I'll say is LBJ's feel for the game paired with his supreme physical tools [God-given] will keep him at the top of the world until he retires. The way he can elevate his teammates is off the charts. 24 isn't all that old either, his roof is still sky high.

His game is raw power and his physical tools help that... that won't help him against teams that clog the lane and let him fire up brick after brick, making his team mates beat them(ala the Spurs when they swept the Cavs/the Celtics last year). Even Jordan had a jumpshot, though it was mostly from mid-range(and his game attacking the basket is only rivaled by LJ).

If LeBron could get a jumpshot, teams wouldn't be able to sag off of him and clog the lane. It would make things a lot easier for his role players.

The guy is still crazy, despite not having that jumper though. He may have the best vision of anyone not named Magic Johnson and John Stockton to have ever played. He's THAT good.

But mark my words, with Dwight Howard, and Kevin Garnett(for the next couple years at least) out East, he's not winning a championship, unless he gains at least a good jumper(it's VERY meh right now). Especially Dwight Howard. Who matches his athleticism and can potentially shut LeBrons' game down by forcing him to shoot.

God-given tools, athleticism, and legendary abilities aren't the only things necessary to winning. Work ethic is MUCH more important than all(hello Larry Bird, Magic, Kobe, Duncan, etc.)

And in my opinion, Durant has that ethic that could vault him from elite player to legendary player. His strange combo of size, length, shooting ability, ball handling ability, and deceptive speed could prove deadly for years to come.

[Rocky]

Re: Kevin Durant

His game is raw power and his physical tools help that... that won't help him against teams that clog the lane and let him fire up brick after brick, making his team mates beat them(ala the Spurs when they swept the Cavs/the Celtics last year). Even Jordan had a jumpshot, though it was mostly from mid-range(and his game attacking the basket is only rivaled by LJ).

If LeBron could get a jumpshot, teams wouldn't be able to sag off of him and clog the lane. It would make things a lot easier for his role players.

The guy is still crazy, despite not having that jumper though. He may have the best vision of anyone not named Magic Johnson and John Stockton to have ever played. He's THAT good.

But mark my words, with Dwight Howard, and Kevin Garnett(for the next couple years at least) out East, he's not winning a championship, unless he gains at least a good jumper(it's VERY meh right now). Especially Dwight Howard. Who matches his athleticism and can potentially shut LeBrons' game down by forcing him to shoot.

God-given tools, athleticism, and legendary abilities aren't the only things necessary to winning. Work ethic is MUCH more important than all(hello Larry Bird, Magic, Kobe, Duncan, etc.)

And in my opinion, Durant has that ethic that could vault him from elite player to legendary player. His strange combo of size, length, shooting ability, ball handling ability, and deceptive speed could prove deadly for years to come.

Durant is nowhere close to Lebron and will probaly never will be. Durant has to tools to be an elite scorer, while Lebron already elevates the game of so many around him.

A couple of nice games and people are saying he is the next Bird?

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant plays ball.

That is all.

[DC]

Re: Kevin Durant

Even Jordan had a jumpshot, though it was mostly from mid-range(and his game attacking the basket is only rivaled by LJ).

WHICH he took TIME to develop. Give LeBron TIME to develop his jumpshot please. It is ONLY fair

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Kevin Durant

WHICH he took TIME to develop. Give LeBron TIME to develop his jumpshot please. It is ONLY fair

This is not entirely accurate. Jordan had better shooting tools. Look at his FT%, and also remember that he was decent from midrange. It took Jordan time to develop his RANGE, which is actually quite common. I'm not saying he didn't improve, because he did, but he didn't have to make major changes to his form the way Lebron has.

I think Lebron will get to a point where he has regular periods of being hot, but it'd be a lot to ask for him to develop a shot that makes the defense say, "We're NOT going to sag off of you."

He'll have games where he hits four contested 3s in a row, but I doubt he'll have games where he makes a high percentage of stand still jumpers.


But back to Kevin!

My point about Lebron before wasn't that he won't improve. I think every facet of his game will improve over the next four years. I just don't see him becoming the shooter that DURANT is. That would be the biggest improvement on a shot in the history of the NBA.