Dirk Nowitzki hails Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant – NBA Update
To say that Kevin Durant is having the best season of his NBA career will be an understatement.
He led the NBA in scoring this season to win his third straight scoring title; got invited to the All Star game for the third time and then came out with an All Star game MVP trophy.
KD led his team to the 2nd best record in the league and straight into the NBA Playoffs. And he was just getting started.
As the days passed, Durantulla engulfed the defending champions Dallas Mavericks, the mighty Los Angeles Lakers and the red hot San Antonio Spurs, who came into the Conference Finals with an 18-game unbeaten streak.
After losing the first two games, the Thunder snapped the Spurs off and marched into his first ever NBA Finals at the age of 23 only.
When one looks at Durant’s game, there is simply no way of stopping. He is 6 foot 9 with a 7 foot 4 wing span that comes with a deadly range. He is as good from the three point range as he is from within the paint; can drive into
the paint and finish strong and if everything else is covered, he can settle for a killer jump shot.
There is no way of contesting him or blocking him.
At his age, the only person who he can be compared to is Dirk Nowitzki. But Nowitzki himself admits that Durant is ahead of him.
Talking to ESPNDallas.com, Nowitzki recently said:
“KD is way ahead of my curve. He’s a 6-10 guy with a 7-4 wingspan who can shoot it from the parking lot. He’s posting up now. In transition he’s so long that, when he gets a pass from the 3-point line, it’s a layup or dunk with
one step. He’s got the one- or two-dribble pull-up, which you need to be a great scorer, because you can’t just shoot 3s or go to the basket if you want to be a great scorer, ’cause sometimes you can’t get all the way to the bucket. He can go both ways, one
or two dribbles and up.
“And he’s clutch, too. He’s hit big shot after big shot all season long.”
Both players play at different positions but their comparison is made due to both of them having the unique characteristic of being tall and great athletes, not your run of the mill centres.
At the age of 23, Nowitzki averaged 23.4 points per game, shot 47.7% from the field and 39.7% from the distance. At 23, Durant is averaging 28 points a game, shooting 49.6% from the field and 38.7% from the distance. Nowitzki had
one All Star appearance by 23 while Durant already has three, plus an All Star MVP trophy.
If Durant is able to capture the NBA championship this year, he will be catapulted to a league of his own. This young and extremely talented player has the whole of the NBA in the palm of his hand, with all eyes on him.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are currently playing the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, with the series tied at one game apiece.
If the Thunder can manage to win the championship, it will be the icing on the cake for this year’s MVP runner up and spur him to new heights, known only to a select few in NBA history.
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