Layne Murdoch/NBAE/Getty Images
It was pretty clear before the series that the Nuggets were going to have trouble with one specific Thunder player. He happens to be very good. He happens to be a two-time scoring champions, two-time All-Star and the kind of gifted basketball player that can be impossible to guard no matter what you do.
But it was obvious that the Nuggets were going to have a lot of problems checking Kevin Durant. There’s really not a single guy on the roster that’s an ideal defender for him and it showed in Game 1 as George Karl tried Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Kenyon Martin and even Raymond Felton for a stretch.
It didn’t work.
Durant dropped 41 points on 13-22 shooting which included a second half explosion where he scored 25 on 9-13. In other words, Denver had some issues with KD.
That prompted Kenyon Martin — one never shy about saying what he thinks — to question the Nuggets’ strategy in guarding Durant. He told The Denver Post:
“Make him (pass it to) some one else. If you have him and (Russell) Westbrook on the court the same time, make Thabo Sefolosha and Serge Ibaka make plays. Run somebody at these guys. I don’t agree with (one-on-one) – we don’t let Kobe play one-on-one when we play him, no matter where he is on the court, so why would you let Kevin Durant play one-on-one.
…
“He shot right over Ray (Felton) like there was nobody guarding him,” Martin elaborated on Monday. “It doesn’t matter who you are, even if you’re the toughest defender in the world, (if you’re 6-1), he’s going to shoot right over him. You got to try something different, run somebody at him. Pick-and-roll? Jump on him. For three games, he’s been having his way with us – and I’m not comfortable with it.”
Indeed for three games, you could say Durant has been having his way with Denver. He’s averaging 35.5 points per game on better than 50 percent shooting. Still, a little odd to be so direct in calling out the gameplan. Martin’s right, it wasn’t brilliant putting Felton on Durant but Karl was sort of out of options at that time.
Durant isn’t going to average 40 for this series though. He’ll go a little cold one night, the Nuggets will figure out something or KD will just step back and let others score. But that’s the key. Others. James Harden can’t average five points a game for this series either. Serge Ibaka will need to find his mid-range game. The Nuggets are going to be intent on stopping Durant and Russell Westbrook in Game 2, so other players will have to rise to the occasion.
It wouldn’t shock me to see the Nuggets double Durant on the catch Wednesday. They might try and force things away from KD. OKC has other players that can beat you. Remember when the Nuggets tried to double Durant on Christmas when KD dropped 44 on them, including 21 in the third quarter? Durant passed wonderfully out of the double, deferring to teammates. We might see that again Wednesday. Because as Martin said, they’ve to try something.
justin :@Ozarkhick
Yes.
A good representative for Thunder fans.
best line I have seen on ESPN in a while....
"The lightning has already struck, and we all know what follows." :)
@Ozarkhick
Yes.
Reading the Denver Stiffs blog is like watching Allen Iverson run practice.
@james1
I just heard that too.. not really that surprised though. He's a Thugget now.
Anyone else hear Bob Barry jr's story about Birdman getting into it with some people in an OKC restaraunt? I'm trying to find that story online but haven't had any luck.
Ozarkhick :
Question for Justin – are you posting as “joov” over at Denver stiffies?
I thought that too.
Question for Justin - are you posting as "joov" over at Denver stiffies?
When did this date happen? Not this week for sure, because ECambage is back in Aussieland.
@Thomas
I don't think it is some unhealthy fascination. We are emotionally invested in KD and the rest of the Thunder. If you're buddy happened to be out with a cute girl that you think might be perfect for him, wouldn't you be a little happy? That's all it is. We aren't going to stalk him or her (I hope), we are just happy if he can find someone that makes him happy.
DJ 7 :
dude my cousin texted me saying he saw KD, and that Liz Girl in Toby K’s Restaurant. I’m surprised KD hasn’t twitted it, oh snaps KD isn’t just being nice anymore, this is the first date!!!
And... why do we care who KD's dating? What is this, a sort of People magazine like fascination with celebrities right here on DT?
Haha hey I'm a broncos fan man!.... Funny been a Denver fan my while life with football just because my dad was... Never gave the smallest care in thr world about the nuggets though
@DJ 7
oh snap, sounds like a date to me.
@Caleb
if he was on our team i would like him, i dont hate rose, i hate the fact that the media is slobbering over him like he is the second coming of tim tebow
Ozark, you're my hero. Your posts on the Game 2 preview over at Denver Stiffs are trolling at its finest hahaha
@F5alcon
What if we picked him up as westrbooks back up? Ha.. I'll stop now
THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THE BOMBING ON ESPN!!!
some of the thunder vids on nba.com are awesome. really gets you pumped.
shiki :
Dirk got 30 FTs in these 2 games.I really hope KD can get more.
he should with all the mugging they give him when he tries to get open.
BTW Charles is great but the dude needs to decide who he thinks is coming out for the West, and who the best crowd is. First he said the Spurs, then they lost, then he said the Lakers then they lost, and now he says the Mavs, first he said MSG was the best place, now he says Portland has the best. He needs to get his story right.
Dirk got 30 FTs in these 2 games.I really hope KD can get more.
dude my cousin texted me saying he saw KD, and that Liz Girl in Toby K's Restaurant. I'm surprised KD hasn't twitted it, oh snaps KD isn't just being nice anymore, this is the first date!!!
@Caleb
i dont want rose, i hope rondo makes him cry in the 2nd rd.
Meant f5alcon!
Then we couldn't get rose ozark! Ha
i don't thjnk Portland can beat the Mavs, i think the Mavs win in 5, I just don't see Roy and Camby playing as hard as they use to. Its better if Portland rebuilds around Aldridge, Batum, and Mathews. Get a young Point Guard maybe Felton or Lawson, and trade Fernandez.
@DJ 7
Indian, from india, not native american. But i have lived in the US my whole life, so I don't have a rocking fresh of the boat accent or anything.
@Ozarkhick
nice, glad you found the right girl. I totally could date a thundergirl though, not out of my leagu, haha. I am so cocky, i wish i could give some of it to mullens and turn him into an allstar
Very sad seeing Brandon Roy hardly playing.
you know why Portland loses, because Batum really just watched Miller almost out rebound Kidd, and Dirk but doesn't go to help out, and then on the D end they let Batum go after Dirk.
f5alcon :
rachaellove :@f5alcon
Thank you! You obviously have great taste in women and fashion.
*blush* well not really I am brown, I dont blush,haha, but thanks mi’lady, I try to dress as awesome as my personality.
brown? Native American, Middle Eastern, Far East Asian, Latino?
f5alcon :@Jimbo
Slice
i dont want to face portland in the conference finals. plus a conference finals against dallas would be epic, I would travel for the away games
Always take the HCA. Wouldn't want the Blazers first round, but I'll take homecourt in any following round over any "matchup" concerns.
We could easily afford Dwight in free agency... And about the stardom... Hello... Garth Brooks? I say we trade mullahs.... And maybe Ivey but I think Milland will b enough... For rose and move Westbrook to the 2 1.rose 2. Westbrook 3. Durant 4. Howard/ibaka 5. Perkins... Easy stuff right?
A little OT, but thank you to all you guys who read my Thunder fan commandments and commented. In one short day I've had 260 hits (103 from DT) and a mention on KISS FM about my fun little post due to word of mouth. Not too shabby. :)
f5alcon :@Ozarkhick
didnt trump trademark “you’re fired”
and yes “try” because there are no clothes as awesome as me.
OK, "Demarcus, you're canned" - that would work.
I can empathize with the "clothes aren't cool enough for me" though. Back in med school in OKC, I used to rock graphic pattern print polyester shirts from Wal-mart, paired with the super baggy Limp Bizkit jeans, along with the reddish orange retro leather "Donnie Brasco" jacket from the thrift shop. Pulled up at the Burger King/Gas station in my convertible with my two slutty dressed Asian female friends, and people seriously thought I was an actual pimp. I was too greedy to share the wares of course, but it also flies in the face of the notion that "you can't have fun in OKC".
Those years rocked. Girlfriend #1 (now wife) in Tulsa, FOB's in OKC. It took her a few trips to see me down there before she realized I was leaving my phone slightly unplugged. She fixed it, and I had damn near blew it at that point, but I'm happy to report we're 10 years married, and I've been a good boy ever since I move out of OKC. Say what you want, that town is crazy with the ladies. Really some of the best in a non-college town you will ever witness.
How low brow am I? I've been to Sherlock's on the south side, and almost got bounced for not meeting dress code requirements. IN THAT PLACE. If it weren't for my "female friends" they would have kicked me out based on some "inferiority complex towards Yuppies who don't wear collared shirts".
Do the Gator, baby!!!!!!!!1
@Jimbo Slice
i dont want to face portland in the conference finals. plus a conference finals against dallas would be epic, I would travel for the away games
I really have no clue who I would rather lose this game. Dallas annoys me because they embody the word collapse, and the Blazers are.. the Blazers.
... I do like JJ Barea though. Little people are awesome.
@Ozarkhick
didnt trump trademark "you're fired"
and yes "try" because there are no clothes as awesome as me.
f5alcon :
rachaellove :@f5alcon
Thank you! You obviously have great taste in women and fashion.
*blush* well not really I am brown, I dont blush,haha, but thanks mi’lady, I try to dress as awesome as my personality.
"try" being the key word?
Just kidding.
BTW, a Dwight reality show would still get killed in the ratings compared to our earlier idea about the Kings relocating to Vegas, and having a Demarcus Cousins reality show, where he would take various menial jobs in order to pay off his gambling debts, with the climax of each episode being "Demarcus, you're fired". That would have been gold, I tell ya'.
rachaellove :@f5alcon
Thank you! You obviously have great taste in women and fashion.
*blush* well not really I am brown, I dont blush,haha, but thanks mi'lady, I try to dress as awesome as my personality.
Seriously, Nash and Dirk could have been unstoppable. I was kinda hoping Phoenix could make a move to get Dirk but it never came through.
Makes you think what might have been if Nash stayed a Mav. 3 MVPs between them and certainly could have won a title or two.
andrew :
I would pay to see a dunk contest between Andre Miller and Jason Kidd.
That makes you unique
Okay, here's Dwight's IMDB page:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2184649/
He was in "Just Wright," that Queen Latifah movie about the NBA from a year or so ago in which he played himself. I would bet he was on set for all of a day or two at most. He could easily get on a jet and head out o L.A. for a week during the summer to make stuff like that. It isn't like he's likely to be doing a movie during the season anyway, especially if he would actually get a larger role.
wow i don't like the Blazers, but why can't the homer commentator admit that both teams are just executing, hes trying to make it seem like Portland shooting at a good percentage is a fluke because Dallas is supposibly the best defensive team in the league.
Pretty amazing that Haywood and Perk are basically going to have identical salaries for the next four years...
I would pay to see a dunk contest between Andre Miller and Jason Kidd.
Mavericks crowd has definately turned it up
I don't think he is coming here. We may not have to TRADE to get Howard at all. He is going to be an unrestricted FA at the end of 2012 and I don't think the magic will trade him before FA they will spend every last second trying to convince him to stay.
Orlando would be awful without him...soooooo bad.
@Thomas
He's already been in one, scheduled to be in another coming out this summer.
@Thomas
I don't have a specific source but if you follow the NBA its pretty much common knowledge.
@andrew
I've never heard that Howard wants to be in movies or go Ochocinco on us with reality TV. Is that for real or are you just throwing that out there?
@andrew
Why do you have to be so negative? Instead of repeating 'There is no chance Dwight comes to OKC' Think of a situation where he might. Have some imagination...have some fun.