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After this season, off the heels of a second playoff victory over the San Antonio Spurs, it looks to be that way. Of course, Kevin Durant can have the occasional off shooting night. But he appears to be past the point of having others control his actions.
Last year's playoffs saw Durant locked downâ€"at timesâ€"by Shawn Marion and Tony Allen. Kawhi Leonard can deny KD an entry pass here or there, but once Durant successfully catches, all advantages tilt toward the scoring champ.
Besides his incredible shooting ability, there is a fairly prosaic reason for why Durant is an inexorable force: He's incredibly tall. Most players exaggerate their heights, adding one or more inches to the "in shoes" measurement. KD is 6'9" without shoes, and lists himself as such. This means that your average 6'11'' center is likely the same height. The Thunder wing also has a near 7'5'' wingspan (wider than Greg Oden's).
There is simply no antidote to this for an opposing defense. Kevin Durant's shaky handling used to open himself up for vulnerability. No more. He has improved his dribbling over the summer and it shows. Not only is Durant fluid on coast-to-coast finishes, but he's creating his own shot with aplomb.
Last year, 62.4 percent of his field goals were assisted. This year, that number is at 48.1 percent. The man is self-sufficient, no longer dependent on the impetuous Russell Westbrook for shots.
Saturday night was witness to the force that is Durant. He scored 18 points in the fourth quarter with the ease it takes most men to put on pants. Put in less of a passive voice, he simply crushed it.
San Antonio can win this series; they have an offense capable of overwhelming bad defensive nights. What they don't have (and what nobody has) is someone who can stop Kevin Durant. And it should be that way for about a decade.
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