Keeping up with KD: Ready for Game 5 in L.A.

Published by admin in Blog on April 27th, 2010 | 7

Kevin Durant has continued to find ways to help his team win.

We saw KD flash his defensive prowess in the Thunder’s Game 3 win over the Lakers, when the league’s leading scorer helped shutdown one of the game’s all-time greatest scorers in Kobe Bryant, holding the Black Mamba to just four points in the fourth quarter as Durant used his length and athleticism to put the brakes on the reigning NBA Finals MVP.

Critics said that KD and the Thunder had officially arrived on that night.

If so, then what to make of Oklahoma City’s Game 4 win over the Lakers two nights later at the Ford Center?

The national media, both print and broadcast, praised the Ford Center for its earsplitting noise and unwavering support. Game 3 was a sea of blue at the Ford Center, Game 4 was a whiteout and of course there were scores of KD jerseys in the house.

But KD and the Thunder have been all about the team since day one. It’s why you hear Kevin thank his teammates time and again after a big scoring night. They all support each other. Heck, even Kevin’s mom sported a Serge Ibaka jersey at Game 4. KD’s mom was flanked by his two grandmothers, both of who could hardly contain themselves.

And while KD dropped a game-high 22 points, including 9-for-11 from the free-throw line, it was his four rebounds and two blocks that were just as important.

Of course, the game was flush with some highlight reel plays by KD.

His thunderous, cocked-back one-handed fast break dunk not even five minutes into the game gave the Thunder a 9-8 lead, one that it would never relinquish. The Ford Center crowd ate that one up, and KD acknowledged them by letting out a roar of approval himself and a glance at the crowd.

And then there was KD’s pull-up three-pointer late in the third quarter that gave Oklahoma City a 20-point lead. KD stepped into and shot that one with such confidence, as if he knew it would scorch through the net.

The Thunder had built such a lead against the defending champs that KD was able to rest the entire fourth quarter. Afterward, a reporter made mention of KD finishing eight points under his regular season scoring average, to which head coach Scott Brooks replied jokingly, “KD, eight points under his average, I don’t know. We’re going to have to work on his offense.”

Even with the physical, defensive-minded Ron Artest guarding him, KD has continued to run him off screens and gain as much separation to get good looks at the basket.

But it still must feel good to be able to help your team in a variety of ways.

And all it’s done is inject even more confidence into KD and his teammates. He might only have four playoff games under him, but KD has become a fast learner.

And even though the Thunder lost those first two games in L.A., it will roll into the Staples Center on Tuesday night knowing that it has as good shot at stealing Game 5 on the road.

“We knew what we are capable of from how hard we play every day and how hard we practice every day,” Kevin said. “So with those attributes I think we can go far as a team. It’s all on us. We control our own destiny at this point and we’ve just got to continue to bring the effort every day.”

KD and his teammates will be ready.

-Team KD

Tags: 2010 NBA Playoffs, 2010 NBA Season, Keeping up with KD, Kevin Durant, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder