Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant defers - NewsOK.com (blog)

on May 19, 2012M at 10:42 am

For Game 3 of the Thunder-Laker series, I wrote about Kevin Durant’s unselfishness â€" to a fault, at times. You can read my column here. I had to write that column before the post-game interview session. Game ends. Write. Then go talk to the ballplayers and coaches.

In the interview room, I asked Durant about his unselfishness. Told him I thought he might have passed a little much in a game in which no one on either team could be expected to make a shot except Durant (12 or 23) and inexplicable Laker point guards Ramon Sessions and Steve Blake (a combined nine for 13).

Twice in the last two minutes, Durant drove the lane and passed off. That’s after clearly displaying the ability to score in traffic â€" Durant made at least three shots that had one foot in the status of circus. One of the passes was a solid decision â€" a kickout to Serge Ibaka on the right baseline. Ibaka hesitated on an immediate 14-footer, made a fake and then launched a 16-footer that bounced off. Three possessions earlier, Durant drove and passed to Kendrick Perkins under the basket. Perk is a wonderful player and is invaluable in this series. But he’s got little chance with the ball in the lane in traffic. He can’t get off a shot over Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol. They’re just too tall.

Here was Durant’s response: “I trust my teammates, no matter if they miss 20 shots in a row. A few times, I threw the ball to Perk under the rim. I trust him. Serge, I trust him shooting that corner jump shot. And Russ, a few 3s that rimmed out for him.” With the Thunder up 88-85 and less than 41/2 minutes left, Durant drove and passed to Russell Westbrook for 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions. Both bounced off.

“I was just picking and choosing my spots,” Durant said. “I got into the paint and wanted to take a good shot. They were tough defensively, but I got to the spots that I wanted to get to. Sometimes I should’ve shot when I passed it, but like I said, I believe in my teammates, that they’re going to make shots inside. I’ll continue to make the right play.”

Well, there’s progress. Durant talked long enough to admit that he sometimes made the wrong decision in the name of unselfishness.

The truth is, sometimes James Harden is hot, sometimes not. Sometimes Westbrook is hot, sometimes not. Sometimes Derek Fisher is hot, sometimes not. Heck, sometimes Durant is hot, sometimes not.

Friday night was a sometimes-not night for every Boomer except Durant. In Game 3, the Thunder made just 21 of 60 shots aside from Durant. That’s 35 percent. (Not that it’s particularly relevant to this discussion, but Kobe Bryant made nine of 25 shots; the other Lakers made 18 of 45 combined, which is 40 percent).

Durant normally has a wonderful feel for the game. But sometimes, he has conflicting instincts. Sometimes, Durant’s basketball instincts are at odds with Durant’s leadership abilities. Sometimes, Durant defers in the name of team. It’s a laudable trait. Unfortunately, what’s good for morale and chemistry isn’t always good for the scoreboard. Game 3 was one of those nights.

-------------Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel. Visit Berry's website here.

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