Kevin Durant Wins Second Consecutive NBA Scoring Title
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Apr 14, 2011 1:03 PM CDT
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PrintA year after becoming the youngest scoring champ in the history of the NBA, former Longhorn and current Oklahoma City Thunder wing Kevin Durant will take home another scoring title this season. Durant averaged 27.7 points per game to outpace LeBron James (26.7) and Carmelo Anthony (25.6).
Leading the league in scoring for a second consecutive season puts Durant in elite company as only the 11th player in history to win back-to-back scoring titles: Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, George Gervin, Bob McAdoo, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Neil Johnston and George Mikan.
Though Durant's numbers went down slightly across the board (scoring average, points, FG%, FT%, FTs made), he helped the Thunder win 55 games (an five-game improvement over last season), the Northwest division and earn a fourth seed in the upcoming playoffs, where the team has a winnable first-round matchup and home-court advantage against the Denver Nuggets. The addition of Kendrick Perkins and the emergence of Serge Ibaka and James Harden has the Thunder looking to build on the playoff experience gained last season in a close first-round defeat to the eventual NBA champion Lakes.
The takeaway? For Durant and the Thunder, the future continues to look extremely bright.
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Congrats to KD
He did it with class. But I’m sure this is not the title he really wants.
Is there a more compelling first-round NBA matchup than OKC vs. Denver? Maybe Portland – Dallas, or perhaps Boston – New York. But not in my mind. Now that it’s finally worthwhile to pay attention to the NBA, Durant and company against the Nugs is about as good as it gets in the interminably long first round of the playoffs.
Simplicity is always the secret, to a profound truth, to doing things, to writing, to painting. Life is profound in its simplicity. - Charles Bukowski
Dallas should kill Portland...
This sucks, KD should have been MVP last year, the competition is too good this year for him to win it…
do you not follow the nba or are you are huge mav homer because you obviously have no idea what you're talking about
when you say dallas will kill portland. The addition of gerald wallace, the emergence of lamarcus aldridge. they have deep team and could absolutely upset dallas. Dallas doesn’t have the outside scoring that is needed. Terry is solid but since caron butler went down they really only have two scorers in dirk and terry. I would pick portland to upset dallas before i would pick the nuggets to upset the thunder. Also the competition didn’t kill KD’s mvp chances this year; russell westbrook did. His usage rate went through the roof and not always to the benefit of the thunder considering KD is a better player.
by CanadianHorn on Apr 14, 2011 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm also picking a Portland upset
I don’t have a horse in this race but Dallas hasn’t showed me anything this year, or in their playoff history, that would indicate they can beat a hot Portland team. The Lakers played their starters deep minutes last night to secure the 2 seed, specifically to avoid the matchup with the Blazers. Nobody wants to play them right now.
Simplicity is always the secret, to a profound truth, to doing things, to writing, to painting. Life is profound in its simplicity. - Charles Bukowski
by windycityhorn on Apr 14, 2011 3:28 PM CDT up reply actions
Yes I have season tickets so call me a homer, but please read
I simply wrote that…
Dallas should kill Portland…I know how bad the Mavs and Dirk have choked in the past, I wouldn’t better money on them, and you completely left out JJ who has been getting more and more minutes lately…
And BTW you wrote…
they have deep team and could absolutely upset dallas
jumping on a soap box here but how is that much different, when people question others people’s fandom/knowledge for expressing an opinion it really pisses me off, please be more respectful of others, its okay to disagree but can we a least be civil about it, and Howard and Rose are having the season of their careers and KD number are down so yes the competition is at the top of their game and KD’s has leveled off a bit, statically it shouldn’t matter but we all know it does, and yeah Westbrook has stepped it up but come on KD is still the best on the team.
You're right.
Kudos to CH for, evidently, being a Blazer homer or a Mav hater … but thumbs down for him being a smarta$$ in his tone. You can certainly look at the matchup from whatever angle floats your boat but Dallas is streaking, has confidence, and will have the best player on the floor, by far, in that matchup. Anybody that watched Dallas this season knows they are easily the best “team” in this matchup (9 games better) and are just as hot. Home-court advantage is also a biggee in the playoffs. LaMarcus has become a player but Dallas should win this one going away. Only three teams rank in the top 10 in both points scored and allowed per possession: Dallas, the Lakers and Miami. Dallas is also the best road team in the league. That’s big. He can play that “the Mavs fold in the playoffs” card … but that’s about all he’s got.
lol...
I think the thought process is different from the outside looking in. I think the whole league thinks the Mavs are not tough (even though Chandler helps), and are taking a “They’ve always won in the regular season, but have how many championships for it?” stance. Hell, George Karl even said that he would much rather play the Mavs than the Thunder in the playoffs. Why would someone rather play a 3 seed than a 4? I guess we’ll see if the Mavs will “kill” the Blazers.
by vy til i die on Apr 15, 2011 5:45 PM CDT up reply actions
I am a thunder fan and definitely not a mavs hater or portland homer
i respect both teams very much. Dirk is one of my favourite players to watch but the reason why i kind of snapped is that he made a comment without even bothering to support his stance. I don’t mind stating an opinon and having an intelligent conversation with someone but when a person says “Dallas should kill Portland” and then does not even bother to back it up, it comes across as being naive. I know my position came across as smart ass and i apoligize for that (I’m not some idiot that can’t recognize when he has overreactred). Also TowerPower if you read my statement i support the fact that KD is the best on the team. I said that westbrook’s increased usage is not always to the benefit of the thunder because it takes the ball out of KD’s hands who is clearly a top 5 player in the league and probably the future nba career scoring leader as long as health is not an issue.
by CanadianHorn on Apr 15, 2011 10:07 PM CDT up reply actions
It's all cool. NBA Playoff time is really good for arguing / posturing.
It’s gonna be a fun series w/ Portland & Dallas. I don’t think he really needed to back up the statement that he thought Dallas would win it. It’s really not that controversial. Dallas was 9 games better this season, was the best road team in the league, & was 1 of only 3 teams (LA, MIA) to be in the top 10 in both points scored & allowed this season. Those are really big factors.
The whole West is gonna be fun. The top four teams are so close and the bottom four could easily win too. Just really gonna depend on who’s got their act together and who’s coach uses good tactics & matchups. It’s not just on the players. I think pretty much everyone in the hunt just doesn’t want to match up with certain gamechangers, Durantula being easily #2 behind Kobe.
Durant
The only reason I watch the NBA is because of Kevin Durant. Tough draw in Denver, but I think they pull it off in 6 or 7 games
go thunder
did you see the last game when we played denver,were gonna smoke em.
Build it and they will come
Avery Bradley had 20 points last night
Got to play 26 minutes with the Celts resting their starters for the playoffs. Made several really nice plays.
Highlights here: http://www.nba.com/games/20110413/NYKBOS/gameinfo.html#nbaGIboxscore
And congrats to KD. Man, what a talent. Go Thunder!
You ain't hurt...
I went back and watched some highlights of last summer's FIBA World Championships
It was just amazing what KD was doing. Unreal talent.
A cynical part of me wanted the Thunder to play Portland in the first round, despite Aldridge being there.
by TheElusiveShadow on Apr 14, 2011 4:47 PM CDT reply actions
KD was the best player at the championships.
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by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Apr 14, 2011 8:05 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Why is Lebron James so much bigger of a name than Kevin Durant is?
When the world slips you a jeffrey, stroke the furry wall.
by burntorangehorn on Apr 14, 2011 9:30 PM CDT reply actions
I figure that's it
Lebron’s been controversial since his H2 recruitment. He’s really framed himself with a big neon sign.
When the world slips you a jeffrey, stroke the furry wall.
by burntorangehorn on Apr 15, 2011 12:31 AM CDT up reply actions
7 yrs pro vs 3 yrs?
He’s also done a lot more advertising than Durant.
by BoddickerIsClutch on Apr 15, 2011 8:53 AM CDT up reply actions
Right, but the hype for lebron coming out of HS was bigger than I've ever seen it for Durant
Seems to me he’s just the Britney Spears of basketball.
When the world slips you a jeffrey, stroke the furry wall.
by burntorangehorn on Apr 15, 2011 3:50 PM CDT up reply actions
Take all the hype away ...
… and Lebron is still an unreal talent. I’m definitely a KD homer but Lebron’s talent is undeniable. He’s been one of the 3 best all-around players in the league for at least 5 years now. KD would do well to bulk up and stay at that same sustained level of greatness. In the end, I hope he’s viewed as the better player.
It's definitely undeniable that James is terrific
I just mean that Durant has generally out-performed him and just about anyone else the past couple of seasons, yet still doesn’t seem to get the proportional amount of talk or recognition.
When the world slips you a jeffrey, stroke the furry wall.
by burntorangehorn on Apr 17, 2011 8:58 AM CDT up reply actions
22 yrs old
Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka, Harden. 26-27yrs old Perkins & Sefalosha w/ Manor @ 24. Young, solid group of high character guys who don’t seek out the spotlight, just shine in it (unlike press conference event that is Lebron). Of that group you have an unselfish (should be MVP) scoring champ, a top 3 point guard who is only matched in athleticism by D. Rose, a big time shot blocker, a 1st team defensive specialist in Sefalosha w/ Perkins providing the physical presence to control the boards/paint. Add in the thirty-something veterans Collison and Mohammed and you have a team who could make a serious run. I’ll take the Spurs to eek out Memphis, the Lakers sweeping the Hornets, Portland to upset Dallas and OKC to win a tough series with Denver.
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