Kevin Durant: Best games in the first round playoffs series against the Dallas Mavericks
Oklahoma City Thunder had an amazing 2011-12 regular season. The young team led the Western Conference for majority of the season, but was pushed to the second spot by the resurgent San Antonio Spurs who closed the regular season
with a 12 game winning streak.
This meant a first round encounter with the defending NBA champions Dallas Mavericks for OKC. The Mavs barely qualified for the playoffs last season, but with Dirk Nowitzki on the roster, they had the pedigree to make a strong
run.
OKC however had their own henchman in the form of Kevin Durant and as the series progressed, he proved to be a more lethal option. Durant led Thunder in points (106) and rebounds (30), and was second in assists with 15.
Let us review some of Durant’s best game in the first round series;
25 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks – Game 1
With a bitter 4-1 series loss against the Mavs in the Western Conference Finals still fresh in his mind, Kevin Durant was not going to let Dallas spoil his party again.
With his side trailing by as many as seven points deep inside the fourth quarter, KD upped the tempo and his dunk shot with 1:23 remaining squared the game at 94. Dallas again carved out a lead and two free throws by Nowitzki made
it 98-97 with 9 seconds to go.
OKC gave the ball to KD for the final shot and with 1.5 seconds left to shoot, Durant let go of a jumper than sank right into the hearts of the Mavericks.
The player ended the night with 25 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks as OKC took a 1 – 0 lead.
26 points and 10 rebounds – Game 2
Durant had a 31 point third game and scored a double-double in the fourth to complete the series sweep, but the way he gutted out a tough defense and changed his game in the all important Game 2, make it his second significant
game of the series.
KD was only 5 of 17 from the floor, but made 16 trips to the foul line, converting 14 of them to hand OKC a 102-99 win.
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