If there’s any player who can come across with such humility after stepping to the forefront in one of the most pressure-cooker situations of his young career, it was Kevin Durant.

“I just wanted to be that guy,” KD told TNT shortly after he helped will the Thunder to the franchise’s first playoff series victory with a 100-97 Game 5 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.

Durant was that guy and then some in the series clincher, especially in the fourth quarter when he scored 16 of his team’s final 20 points to help rally the Thunder from a nine-point deficit with three minutes to play. One basket in particular prompted TNT studio analyst Charles Barkley to say that “only God” could stop a player with the size, agility and talent as Durant. It sure seemed like it in Game 5.

Durant’s memorable fourth quarter included a pretty assist out of a double team to James Harden, who drilled a three-pointer to tie the game and further stymied the Nuggets’ plan of attack against KD.

“We tried to double on the pick-and-rolls, but it was mostly one-on-one,” Denver coach George Karl said. “I think when (James) Harden made that 3 to tie it, it took our confidence from doubling a little bit. (Durant) made some pretty difficult shots.”

More out of KD: there was a clutch three-point play after finishing strong in the lane with contact. He provided the icing as well, swishing a dribble pull-up from the top of the key with five seconds to go on the shot clock that gave the Thunder a three-point lead with 12 seconds to go. And for good measure, KD blocked J.R. Smith’s attempt to tie the game just three seconds left.

After KD made that play, he pumped his fists in the air and scowled in affirmation, putting his emotions out there for all to see just like he always does. Emotions raw, passion and desire to win unbridled. That’s KD.

This was Durant’s second 41-point game of the series, as the league’s two-time regular season scoring leader reached that mark in Game 1.

And KD did it on 14-for-27 shooting to go with five rebounds, two assists, a steal, two blocks and zero turnovers. Those zero turnovers might have been the most underrated stat of the night in game in which the Thunder committed 14 turnovers.

Cutting back on turnovers has been a goal of Durant’s since the season’s onset and the two-time All-Star forward has shown progress in that area throughout his second postseason. In last year’s first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, Durant committed 3.67 turnovers a game. In five games against Denver in this year’s opening round, he averaged just 1.4 a game.

It was about as dominant and complete of a performance as we’ve seen from Durant this season. KD said teammates Royal Ivey and Nate Robinson were blunt with him on the bench.

“Go take the game over. It’s your time,’” Durant recalled them saying. “My teammates did a great job of finding me in the right spots so I could make some shots…. Russell looked at me and said, ‘This is what you do.’”

If you want to judge KD on progress, then look no further than last year’s playoff stats compared to this year’s.

A year ago, Durant averaged 25 points on 35 percent shooting, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in six games against the Lakers.

This season, with another year of experience under him and fresh off one of his busiest summers, one in which he led USA Basketball to a gold medal at the World Championship, Durant has only gotten better as the season has wore on.

In five games against the Nuggets, he averaged 32.4 points on 47.1 percent shooting, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steals.

He showed why he’s a two-time All-Star and has led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons. He showed why he’s continued to evolve into one of the game’s elite players. And he picked up right where he left off from the end of the regular season, when he was named the Western Conference Player of the Month yet again.

Moving forward, all we know for sure is we’ll be treated to yet another playoff round of watching Kevin Durant mature on the game’s biggest stage. And if you’re a fan, you couldn’t ask for more.

Statistically, this was not Kevin Durant’s finest month of the season. Yet, while he averaged a season-low 25.5 points a game, he still led the league in scoring at the end of March with an average of 27.8 points per game. And, most importantly, he continued to help the Thunder win, so much so that the team posted its best record for a month in franchise history at 14-2.

Not only is that the bottom line for Durant, but it’s also emblematic of his value to the Thunder.

Star players are supposed to make their teammates better so that there’s little drop off when they’re not able to carry the torch on certain nights. That’s what we saw from Durant and the Thunder in March, when the two-time All-Star forward helped his squad to the 50-win plateau, equalling last year’s win total, with eight games still remaining in the regular season.

“After my first two seasons, man, we went from two 20-win seasons to two 50-win seasons,” Durant told the local media after the Thunder beat Phoenix, 116-98, for its 50th win. “That’s a big turnaround and it’s something that can’t be overlooked. It means a lot, but once you get in the postseason, it’s kind of out the window.”

Humility and hard work are two things that helped bring KD and his teammates continued success in March, and it’s those principles that continued to serve as the foundation of KD’s daily approach. It’s why Durant was able to break out of his self-described slump with a 39-point effort that willed the Thunder to a 115-114 overtime win over Golden State for win number 49. Durant made 13 of 23 shots, 10 of 12 free throws and scored eight of his team’s nine points in the extra frame.

Durant finished March with three games of 30 points or more but also had a season-low 23 turnovers on the month. Keeping turnovers down and assists up – he averaged 3.1 dimes in March – has been a stated goal of Durant’s all season long. In fact, Durant tallied his most assists in a month (49) and remained active on the defensive end with another season-high of 22 steals, just two more examples of how KD can impact a game outside of scoring.

-Team KD

Through 54 games played, Thunder forward Kevin Durant still led the league in scoring at 28.5 points per game. He kept up that pace throughout February by averaging 26.8 points in 11 games, including a 43-point performance in a 104-93 win over the New Orleans Hornets to start the month.

But look at his numbers for the rest of the month and one statistic should stand out: those 8.9 rebounds, by far the most he’s averaged in a month this season.

As easy as it is to talk about Durant’s scoring prowess, how he makes putting the ball in the basket look so effortless, one part of his game that often gets overlooked, or even swept under the rug completely, is his knack for rebounding.

Well, it’s actually more of a skill than a knack.

Durant has always been a steady rebounder dating back to his lone season at the University of Texas, where he averaged 11.1 boards a night.

Admittedly, Durant said he got away from rebounding in his first two seasons in the NBA. Now in his fourth season it’s become a point of emphasis, so much so that the Thunder coaching staff has continued to tell Durant that he has the potential to average a double-double.

That was no more evident than the way he attacked the glass in February.

Durant recorded double-doubles in each of the first four games of the month and followed it up with a 16-rebound performance in a Feb. 25 loss at the Orlando Magic.

His length, athleticism, speed and ability to attack the right seams on the floor make him a sound rebounder and the Thunder’s best this season at 7.2 per game. How many other 6-9 small forwards can handle the ball, stretch the floor, play a mean midrange game and rebound like KD does?

Obviously, February was more than just rebounding for Durant, who welcomed in a trio of new teammtes at the trade deadline in Kendrick Perkins, Nate Robinson and Nazr Mohammed after a busy NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, where he hosted a live stream session on nikebasketball.com from Santa Monica Place before hundreds of fans. On Friday night he sat courtside to cheer on Thunder teammates James Harden and Serge Ibaka in the Rookie Challenge. On Saturday he participated in the 3-Point Contest and served as Ibaka’s coach in the Slam Dunk Contest. And in Sunday’s All-Star Game, KD’s second straight and first as a starter, the Thunder forward nearly stole the show with a 34-point performance to help the West top the East, 148-143.

This time, surrounded by the game’s best players, Durant said he felt like he belonged. He certainly played like it.

“I felt a lot more comfortable,” Durant told the Oklahoman. “I think me being a starter helped me out a little bit, and also having my teammate there. Last year, I was a bit nervous just being around the guys. But this year, I felt like I belonged.”

Probably lost amidst the aftershocks of his game-winning three-pointer against the New York Knicks on Jan. 22 at Oklahoma City, after his teammates had swarmed him on the court, after that big-time basket circulated the internet and ESPN, was this:

Kevin Durant had made just 9 of 24 shots prior to him draining the second game-winning shot of his career. Just 9-for-24. When Durant and his teammates were in the huddle and head coach Scott Brooks was drawing up a play with 6.5 seconds remaining, Durant told his coach that he wanted to take the last shot. Brooks later joked that giving the ball to KD with the game on the line was a no-brainer.

The fact that he had a poor shooting night was irrelevant. Durant’s confidence never wavered. His desire to seal the victory with a clutch shot was never in question. The fierce competitor inside of him was on full display. Special players, pure scorers like Durant, never pass up that kind of opportunity.

And so it unfolded: the ball was inbounded to Russell Westbrook, who got it to Durant, who took a few dribbles to his right, turned and launched a fade-away three from the right wing as the final buzzer sounded. Nothing but net. Game over. The Thunder wins. The crowd erupts. And Durant walks off the floor like it was just another day at the office. Cool under pressure.

Of course, leave it to Durant to deflect all the attention.

“It’s a lot more than just me making that shot,” KD told the media later that night. “Serge (Ibaka) had a great block on (Amar’e) Stoudemire. Russell (Westbrook) did a great job of stopping Raymond Felton on that last play for us to get the rebound…It wasn’t just that shot that won us the game, but to be honest it feels good. I’ve missed so many of those and to get and to finally make one feels good. Coach drew up a good play.”

The game winner might have been the signature moment of yet an otherwise steady month of improvement for Durant, who actually began the month of January with the news that he had earned Western Conference Player of the Month honors for December.

But January saw Durant take his game to another level.

In 13 games last month, KD averaged a season-best 30.5 points and 7.7 rebounds to go with 47.5 percent field goal shooting, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He helped the Thunder to a 7-6 mark in January, which included a four-game winning streak and two overtime wins.

A few nights after that Knicks game, Durant was at it again, this time matching his career-high of 47 points and setting a new career-high in rebounds (18) in a thrilling 118-117 overtime win in Minnesota. KD pulled the trigger on another game-winner, this time drilling a step-back three-pointer with 28.3 seconds remaining in the extra frame.

The capper for Durant last month came on Jan. 27, when KD got his due by being voted in as a Western Conference All-Star starter for the first time in his career. Durant led all Western Conference forwards in voting and was the second-leading vote getter in the West.

Durant earned his first trip to the All-Star Game last season, and both instances hold different meaning. Last season, Durant was voted in from the other 14 coaches in the West, a true sign of respect from the very men charged with devising a plan to stop or slow him on a nightly basis. This year, Durant being voted in by the fans speaks to his global appeal, something that was strengthened with yet another tour of China with Nike this past summer and the ensuing FIBA World Basketball Championship in Turkey. Now, Kevin Durant has become a household name across the globe.

“To represent Oklahoma City as a starter means a lot to me,” Durant said. “I’ll represent my family. The name on my back means a lot to me as well. I’ve just got to come out there and try to represent as much as I can. Every chance I get, just try to talk Oklahoma City up and just enjoy myself.

“It’s something as a kid you dream about, watching All Star games. To be named a starter this early in my career is something I appreciate. I can’t take it for granted. I’ve just got to continue to keep working to maintain that level every day and that means on and off the court, just being a model citizen in the community and continuing to be the person that I am.”
Continue reading Keeping up with KD: A Look Back at KD’s January

As he played his second career game on Christmas night, before a nationally televised audience and in front of a packed home crowd, Kevin Durant later admitted he had a certain feeling that was hard to describe, one generally shared by only the purest of scorers.

It’s the feeling you get when the ball leaves your fingertips and you just know it’s going to rip through the net. By the time you release it the rest is just poetry in motion, as the ball arcs through the air with perfect rotation and glides right through the cylinder. Call it being in the zone, having a hot hand or whatever. KD had it and felt it that Christmas night against the Denver Nuggets, when he poured in a season-high 44 points in a demonstration not only of how he’s come to lead the league in scoring for a second straight season, but also how he’s maturing before our eyes.

“I’ve been working hard, pushing myself lately before and after practice just trying to continue to get better and I guess that’s a result of it,” Durant said that night. “My teammates did a great job of just finding me early and put me in great positions to score easy baskets and I started to get confidence. Coach started to draw some plays up for me and I just wanted to convert on it.”

Durant had a 21-point third quarter and finished with 40 points before the fourth quarter rolled around. But possibly his most impressive feats of the night came in the fourth, when the Nuggets decided to clamp down on him and throw two and three defenders his way.

KD knew he couldn’t throw off the Thunder’s offensive flow by just jacking shots in an attempt to hit the 50-point mark. So he did the smart thing, the team-first thing by drawing extra defenders and passing out to his teammates at just the right time, leaving them with open shots.

“The only thing I was thinking when I got the ball was hockey assists — pass, pass for a shot,” KD said.

It worked to perfection. And it was just the latest example of Durant becoming that all-around player he’s striving to be.

Offensively, December was KD’s best month. Entering the New Year’s Eve game against Atlanta, the All-Star forward averaged nearly three more points per game from a month ago at 29.1, increased his shooting percentage to 51.9 percent through 13 games, shot 39.1 percent from behind the arc and dished a season-best 3.4 assists per game. And KD did it all in three fewer minutes a game (37.3) than a month ago (40.5 in November).

He scored at least 24 points in every game, had two 30-point games and that monstrous 44-point performance against Denver.

Off the court, KD was just as busy.

In a 48-hour span, he was named USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year for leading Team USA to the gold medal at the FIBA World Championship. A day later he graced the cover of Oklahoma Magazine as the Oklahoman of the Year.

In the last two weeks alone, KD hosted a holiday party for 120 foster children, saw the release of a special edition pair of KD IIIs and received the second-most All-Star votes among Western Conference players.

So yes, it’s been a fruitful month and an even better year for Durant. And it’s scary to think that he’s just 22 years old.

“Even myself, at times we forget how young he is and he’s been in the league for four years,” Thunder head coach Scott Brooks recently told the Oklahoma media. “But he’s still a young basketball player that’s going to get much better as the games and the years go by.”

-Team KD

UPDATE: Kevin was also named NBA Western Conference Player of the Month for December!

Keeping track of Kevin Durant isn’t what it used to be a season ago.

Last year, the Thunder forward was lighting up the league from every spot on the perimeter, draining long balls, pull-ups and swishing baskets off curls en route to an unforgettable season in which he became the youngest scoring champion in NBA history.

Durant became synonymous with scoring.

This year has been slightly different.

Durant has still lit up scoreboards with a league-leading 27.4 points per game. But the fourth-year forward, coming off a memorable summer, has done a much better job of stuffing the stat sheet altogether.

Now those big buckets have been accompanied on a regular basis with about a half dozen boards, a couple of dimes, at least a steal a game and several other plays that never make the box score. Through the first month of the 2010-11 regular season, KD has shown that he’s learning how to impact the game in a myriad of ways.

Take the Thunder’s Nov. 29 win over the New Orleans Hornets, for example.

The game came down to the wire. Down by four points with a little over five minutes to go, the Thunder needed defensive stops. So head coach Scott Brooks put KD on the Hornets’ biggest inside threat in David West, a former All-Star who knows how to bulldoze his way into the paint for points.

All KD did was hold his own against West, using his length to challenge shots and his toughness to keep West from getting to the rim. Durant single-handedly made three straight defensive stops — he challenged a shot, blocked another and then rejected an Emeka Okafor shot — that sparked the Thunder to a 95-89 victory.

After the game, Brooks reiterated how all along he had confidence in Durant to make defensive plays down the stretch, and even reminded the local media how Durant had been the team’s best defender throughout the previous week.

Those defensive stops complimented Durant’s 26-point, 11-rebound effort.

“I was just trying to play my hardest and prevent him from getting easy scores,” Durant said after the game. “I think I did a decent job. My teammates helped me out a lot. I was just trying to play as hard as I can. My shot wasn’t going so I decided to keep playing hard on both ends and see if I would start to come around.”

That’s just one example of how Durant has shown how he can affect a game outside of his natural scoring ability. It’s part of the evolution of Durant, who himself would admit that he’s the furthest thing from a finished product.

The All-Star nod, the gold medal at the World Championship, the constant praise by the media for being the next big thing — Durant acknowledges it and continues to push forward with his development. You all know by now that he’s never satisfied.

It hasn’t been a completely smooth ride for Durant this season. Minor ankle and knee injuries have held him out of four games so far, but even when he’s not in uniform he’s still being the consummate teammate, applauding and dishing advice at any chance possible.

For the 18 games he has been healthy, Durant has continued to make his mark.

He appeared in his 250th career game earlier this season. By comparison, only two other active players (Shaq and LeBron) have scored more points through the first 250 career games than Durant (6,360 points at the time).

Durant has already led the Thunder in scoring in 14 games, has recorded three double-doubles and has scored more than 30 points in seven games.

One area he’s improved in has been at the foul line, where KD is shooting an NBA-best 92.3 percent from the charity stripe. Durant has been to the foul line more than 10 times in nine games, and he’s gone a perfect 16-for-16 from the line in two games.

All that goes to show is that even when KD’s shot isn’t falling, opponents still struggle to contain him.

-Team KD

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

You’re seeing a different side to Kevin Durant right now.

The national spotlight is shining bright on him and his Thunder teammates. As the league’s youngest scoring champion in decades, his every move is being dissected and analyzed. Everyone wants to talk to him. Most of the questions are repetitive, the answers regurgitated. Obviously, because it’s the playoffs the stakes are so much higher. So KD is learning how to adjust.

He’s keeping his small circle of family and friends close to him. Twitter and his blog can wait until the offseason. KD just wants to focus on winning games.

He and his Thunder teammates got their first win of its first-round playoff series against the defending champion L.A. Lakers in Game 3, outlasting them, 101-96, before a one of the most hyped up crowds he’s ever played before.

And on a night when his offense wasn’t as consistent as we’ve seen this season — he scored 29 points on 8-for-24 shooting — KD stepped it up in other areas.

He grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds, dished four assists and had a key block down the stretch.

He also had a chance to defend the reigning NBA Finals MVP, Kobe Bryant, in a tight fourth quarter, holding him to just four points in the final frame. Kevin used his length and quickness to both challenge Kobe’s shots and keep him from getting to the rim.

The national media took notice, saying that KD had arrived. Everyone knew he could score in bunches, but defend? Well, that’s something they’ve never seen. Then again, they haven’t followed him as closely throughout the regular season.

“Other parts of my game get overshadowed because I score the basketball a lot this season but I’ve just been trying to play hard,” KD told reporters on Friday. “A lot of people don’t recognize that so that’s what last night was all about, playing hard. Kobe Bryant’s the best player in the world and some of those shots he missed it’s just because he missed. Maybe two or three of those shots I made him miss. But I know he’s going to come back more focused and more ready for the game but hopefully he’ll miss those shots that he takes next game.”

This has been a great, big learning process for Kevin and his teammates, most of whom are playing in their first-ever playoff series.

KD said he’s learning something new each game. And he’s hoping that those lessons will help him come Game 4 on Saturday night at the Ford Center, where the Thunder will look to even its best-of-seven series at two games apiece.

“I’m just being more comfortable,” KD said. “The first game was kind of like a feeling-out process. The second game I kind of knew how they were going to play me and knew different spots where I could score, rebound and pass the ball. The third game was getting comfortable so hopefully that fourth game I get more and more comfortable and help my team win.”

-Team KD

Keeping up with Kevin Durant has been no easy task as of late. The All-Star forward has been all over the map and in the headlines during the final month of the NBA regular season.

KD got another Player of the Month award, won the league’s scoring title and is set to play in his first playoff series with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In early April, Kevin was honored at the 34th annual March of Dimes Sports Headliner Awards Banquet as the Headliner of the Year. Durant got the award for achieving national and international success in a major sport. With a team on the rise, a national sneaker deal, commercials and shout outs from celebrities and hip hop artists like Snoop Dogg, KD has no doubt brought recognition to Oklahoma.

The banquet was held at the historic (and sometimes spooky, depending on who you ask) Skirvin Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City, and Durant was surrounded by the people who matter most to him, including his mother, grandmother, brother, cousin, friends and members of Goodwin Sports Management.

And when KD returned to the court, he kept on scoring. Whether it was from the free-throw line, behind the arc or coming off those tight curls, Kevin was lighting up scoreboards. The result: KD became the youngest scoring champion in league history when he edged out LeBron James with a scoring average of 30.1 points per game.

Bottom line is we’ve continued to see KD mature before our very eyes. He led the Thunder in scoring, rebounds, steals and was second in blocks. So as much of a scorer KD has developed into, he’s becoming just as polished in other areas on the court.

And when Kevin finally sealed the scoring title in the Thunder’s regular season finale against the Memphis Grizzlies, the third-year forward finally broke his silence. KD admitted that the scoring title had been in the back of his mind for most of the season.

“It’s not something I came into the season saying I wanted to get,” Durant said. “But it feels good to be a part of history.”

“I’ve got to tell you guys that,” Durant said, smiling. “But it was in the back of my mind the whole season to be honest with you. It’s going to be cool to go home and say you’re the scoring champ at 21 years old. It’s a blessing, something I can’t take for granted.”

Hey, when media and fans are asking you left and right if you’re going to lead the league in scoring, it’s kind of hard to completely shut it out.

But now comes the fun part for KD. Durant and his Thunder teammates are in the playoffs in just its second season in Oklahoma City. The city is buzzing. The team is playing well. KD is doing his thing. A run-in with the Los Angeles Lakers can only bring good things to KD and his teammates in the long run.

Nothing like making your playoff debut against the defending champs.

And KD has been focused over the last couple of weeks. He’s in the zone, so to speak. His attention is focused solely on these playoffs. So wish him well and make sure you check him out in his playoff debut against the Lakers tomorrow.

KD will be checking in with you about his first playoff series on his blog very soon.

—Team KD

He scored, he shopped, he continued to help his team win, he mourned, he set records and he scored some more.

Yes, it’s been a month full of non-stop action and emotion for Kevin Durant as he and his Thunder teammates head into the second of a four-game home stand at the Ford Center on Wednesday night at the Ford Center.

KD has gone full-throttle since the start of March, when he picked up where he left off with a scoring onslaught that has lasted throughout the regular season.

Through 11 games this month, Durant has averaged 30.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 blocks per game. He’s recorded three double-doubles and has scored at least 26 points in nine games. That includes his season-high-tying 45-point effort in Monday’s 99-96 gut-wrenching loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

To drop 45 on a team is a commendable feat in itself. But to do it against the Spurs, a team that’s served as a model for success over the better part of this decade, is the next morning’s water cooler talk.

And that was just one day after he became the second youngest player to score 2,000 points through 68 games under the age of 22. Some guy named LeBron James did it in 65 games in the 2005-06 season.

Another notch on Durant’s belt: in the Thunder’s 104-102 win over the New Jersey Nets on March 12, he set a franchise record for 30-point games with 36 (and counting).

Now, this month hasn’t been all peaches and cream for Durant. Watching his Texas Longhorns lose to Wake Forest in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament was painstaking for KD, who played one memorable season in Austin. Of course, this season would have been his senior year at Texas, and he considers those Longhorns family, so it wasn’t just another loss for Durant.

But one big gain for Kevin came not even a week earlier, when he took a family in need on a supermarket shopping spree at an Oklahoma City Homeland Store. Working with the Thunder, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma City Metro Salvation Army, Durant provided $1,000 worth of groceries to a 25-year-old woman who has legal custody and is the sole provider of her six nephews and nieces.

A few days later, the March of Dimes announced that it wants to honor Durant and a handful of other elite Oklahoma athletes at the 34th Annual Sports Headliner Banquet in early April.

For now, here’s hoping KD and his Thunder teammates close out the regular season on a strong note.

-Team KD