OKC: Who is their best player?

[Dewie12]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

What do you want to see from KD that he hasn't yet shown you?

That he can win. Last year they made the playoffs and kind of snuck up on everyone.

KD has the potential to be great. But he also could be nothing more than Gilbert Arenas (remember when he first took the Wizards to the playoffs averaging nearly 30 a game).

Many "stars" have been anointed great only to be perennial first round playoff losers. Durant may turn out to be a legit winner, or he is Glenn Robinson.....good player but not someone who is remembered for ages.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

That he can win. Last year they made the playoffs and kind of snuck up on everyone.

KD has the potential to be great. But he also could be nothing more than Gilbert Arenas (remember when he first took the Wizards to the playoffs averaging nearly 30 a game).

Many "stars" have been anointed great only to be perennial first round playoff losers. Durant may turn out to be a legit winner, or he is Glenn Robinson.....good player but not someone who is remembered for ages.

the arenas comparison is worse than terrible. Kevin's age, size, rebounding and efficiency are all way ahead of what Gilbert was doing. One thing they do have in common is shoddy interior players. The Thinder will win if Ibaka and Green can control the interior. If they can't, the strength I. The west is too big on the inside for a perimeter player to make the difference. Right now, OKC doesn't have the talent to do more than make it to the 2nd round out west unless everyone improves greatly. Not fair or sensible to judge a 22 year old's ability based on that, especially when he already led a young, small group to a gold medal in a competition the US has been defeated in for the better part of a decade. If winning in FIBA didn't do anything for you, then the bias may be skewing your vision.

[Bumi]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

That he can win. Last year they made the playoffs and kind of snuck up on everyone.

KD has the potential to be great. But he also could be nothing more than Gilbert Arenas (remember when he first took the Wizards to the playoffs averaging nearly 30 a game).

Many "stars" have been anointed great only to be perennial first round playoff losers. Durant may turn out to be a legit winner, or he is Glenn Robinson.....good player but not someone who is remembered for ages.

FIBA Tournament aside, you expect him to have won something(a title I assume), before the tender age of 22?

The Gilbert comparison doesn't make much sense to me. Almost none at all. There's practically no similarities between the two of them.

[JerseySuave4]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

Durant is the best player but i dont think he's on the level of Lebron/Wade/Melo/Kobe like the media is trying to put him at. With Lebron joining Wade & Bosh he no longer will be putting up the ridiculous scoring numbers so the media is looking for the next individual to take his place and Durant has become that for them. Westbrook is good but he's not a top 5 pg in the league (Rondo, Rose, D-Will, CP3, Nash... yes even still).

[JerseySuave4]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

That he can win. Last year they made the playoffs and kind of snuck up on everyone.

KD has the potential to be great. But he also could be nothing more than Gilbert Arenas (remember when he first took the Wizards to the playoffs averaging nearly 30 a game).

Many "stars" have been anointed great only to be perennial first round playoff losers. Durant may turn out to be a legit winner, or he is Glenn Robinson.....good player but not someone who is remembered for ages.

i agree, the media is just looking for the next guy to be that individual superstar and since Durant was great for team USA during the summer and led the league in scoring last year, theyre annoiting him before he proves he can take his team out of the 1st round.

[Dewie12]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

FIBA Tournament aside, you expect him to have won something(a title I assume), before the tender age of 22?

The Gilbert comparison doesn't make much sense to me. Almost none at all. There's practically no similarities between the two of them.

Fine Tracy McGrady.....do we talk about him now.....nope.

I swear everyone on here must be under the age of 25 or have no idea about the history of professional sports. Durant is far more likely not to have 10 years of high level of play than to continue to play like this through his whole career. THere have been so many players that have come and gone like Durant.....read some history.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

Fine Tracy McGrady.....do we talk about him now.....nope.

I swear everyone on here must be under the age of 25 or have no idea about the history of professional sports. Durant is far more likely not to have 10 years of high level of play than to continue to play like this through his whole career. THere have been so many players that have come and gone like Durant.....read some history.

Actually, since he is the youngest scoring champ in league history, he's pretty much in a class by himself. Mix in his efficiency from the field, his height and his exceptional ball handle and there are very few players to compare him to. He's tops in the league in finishing at the rim and already a much better rebounder, shot blocker and free throw shooter than TMac, while Mac was a far superior playmaker.

And Mac's decline was caused by injury. Don't know why you project that for Kevin.

[Bumi]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

Fine Tracy McGrady.....do we talk about him now.....nope.

I swear everyone on here must be under the age of 25 or have no idea about the history of professional sports. Durant is far more likely not to have 10 years of high level of play than to continue to play like this through his whole career. THere have been so many players that have come and gone like Durant.....read some history.

We don't talk about Tracy McGrady because injuries prematurely dampened his career. When he was primed and healthy, he was as good as any player in the league, including Kobe.

Durant is 6'11, handles the ball like a SG, can score at the basket, is water from the charity strip, has an excellent perimeter game, and is constantly improving his rebounding and defense. Please oh wise one, provide an example of a player with that combination of skills and size, at 22?

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

.....read some history.

Seriously?

The same guy who said Harden is the most talented Thunder player?

[JerseySuave4]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

Actually, since he is the youngest scoring champ in league history, he's pretty much in a class by himself.

the guy was the scoring champ because Lebron sat out the last week of the season basically and gave it to him.

Fine Tracy McGrady.....do we talk about him now.....nope.

I swear everyone on here must be under the age of 25 or have no idea about the history of professional sports. Durant is far more likely not to have 10 years of high level of play than to continue to play like this through his whole career. THere have been so many players that have come and gone like Durant.....read some history.

Tracy McGrady is a great comparison. Injuries killed his career but even before the injuries the guy never made it out of the 1st round. Lets have Durant make it out of the 1st round before we start putting him up there with Lebron/Wade/Melo/Kobe.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

the guy was the scoring champ because Lebron sat out the last week of the season basically and gave it to him.



Tracy McGrady is a great comparison. Injuries killed his career but even before the injuries the guy never made it out of the 1st round. Lets have Durant make it out of the 1st round before we start putting him up there with Lebron/Wade/Melo/Kobe.

He was the scoring champ because he scored 30ppg. At 21 years old. With great percentages across the board. And he helped his team win 50 games. "Scoring champ" is an arbitrary distinction. A 21 year old player getting those numbers is remarkable.

Durant has already separated himself from T-mac by leading the US to a gold medal. It's bias that has you sweeping that under the rug, because when the US started losing int'l play, it was a big deal and before this team was assembled, people were very concerned about another disappointment this year. Durant has already won big on the world stage. Now he has to hope that he gets the team assembled to allow him to win big in the NBA.

[JerseySuave4]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

He was the scoring champ because he scored 30ppg. At 21 years old. With great percentages across the board. And he helped his team win 50 games. "Scoring champ" is an arbitrary distinction. A 21 year old player getting those numbers is remarkable.

he was the scoring champ because Lebron sat out the last week which lowered his scoring avg just below Durant. If Lebron played he would have led the league in scoring but he didnt care about that.

[Dewie12]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

Actually, since he is the youngest scoring champ in league history, he's pretty much in a class by himself. Mix in his efficiency from the field, his height and his exceptional ball handle and there are very few players to compare him to. He's tops in the league in finishing at the rim and already a much better rebounder, shot blocker and free throw shooter than TMac, while Mac was a far superior playmaker.

And Mac's decline was caused by injury. Don't know why you project that for Kevin.

We don't talk about Tracy McGrady because injuries prematurely dampened his career. When he was primed and healthy, he was as good as any player in the league, including Kobe.

Durant is 6'11, handles the ball like a SG, can score at the basket, is water from the charity strip, has an excellent perimeter game, and is constantly improving his rebounding and defense. Please oh wise one, provide an example of a player with that combination of skills and size, at 22?

The lifespan of all athletes is very limited. The point that McGrady got hurt....well that happens to most athletes....

As for Harden. He reminds me of Micheal Redd. Could blossom after a few years. Or could fall of the face of the earth. I think he is talented. So did most teams since he was drafted 3rd overall......

Durant is great. Probably the best scorer on the team. But that doesn't mean much to me overall.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

And Durant was drafted 2nd.

Who cares about draft position.

Obviously Harden has talent, but saying off the wall stuff like 'Harden is the most talented player on that team' is just stupid. He isn't even their 3rd best player.

He can't do a single thing better than Durant.

[Phillmattic]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

And Durant was drafted 2nd.

Who cares about draft position.

Obviously Harden has talent, but saying off the wall stuff like 'Harden is the most talented player on that team' is just stupid. He isn't even their 3rd best player.

He can't do a single thing better than Durant.

Well, he can definitely break down a defender and get to the basket better than Durant.

That's one thing that Durant lacks, he shoots the ball so well that most don't notice that he lacks the explosiveness and strength to blow by most defenders.