Keeping up with KD: A Look Back at KD’s January
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.â€Â
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.â€Â
Continue reading Keeping up with KD: A Look Back at KD’s January
Me and T-Mac
What’s good everyone? I’m sure you know by now that we extended our winning streak to eight games with a win over the Knicks on Saturday.
On a personal note, I also had the chance to go up against one of my favorite players as a kid, Tracy McGrady, who the Knicks got in a trade last Thursday.
It was T-Mac’s first game as a Knick, so I’m sure that had to be special for him. McGrady is a guy I really look up to. He’s been through a lot these last couple of years with getting hurt and he finally got his chance to comeback and show what he can do. Unfortunately, it was against us.
As a fan of the game, though, you just like to see him back on the floor in another team’s jersey. I’m happy for him. He’s a guy who I patterned my game after when I was young. The guy who taught me how to play basketball told me every game to play like Tracy McGrady. I had to get a certain amount of stats and I had to play with a certain demeanor on the floor. I tried to play like Tracy McGrady every game from when I was 10 years old till I was 16. If I didn’t play like him I had to do extra sprints. I would get in trouble. So that was a guy who I always watched.
How about you guys? Is there a player who you try to pattern your game after? Let me know in the comments section.
Fans: Be sure to check out Kevin on Twitter and Facebook.
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