Daily Thunder.com Kevin Durant’s 10 best posters

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Kevin Durant is a criminally underrated dunker. For example, last night on SportsCenter his destruction of Marcin Gortat registered as No. 8 in the Top 10. Eight! If that had been Blake Griffin they’d be producing a 30 for 30 about it right now.

KD really has a pretty nice black book of guys he’s got at the rim. And with last night’s poster over Gortat, it made me start YouTubing the others, so naturally, I figured I’d rank ‘em.

10. O’Neal

What makes this dunk even more impressive is that KD someone got the ball over Jermaine O’Neal’s giant head.

9. Valanciunas

KD welcomed Jonas Valanciunas to the NBA by saying, “Welcome to the NBA Jonas Valanciunas, here is a dunk right in your face.”

8. Harrington

You know how when you’re in Denver the air is light and things travel further, like a baseball or a football? I think that applied to KD in this situation.

7. Haslem

It came in an unfortunate Game 5, but Durant’s dunk to finish the first quarter against the Heat had that look to it. A little extra pullback, a little extra elevation, a little extra power.

6. Nesterovic

From KD’s rookie season. Best part is how the ball literally bounces off the top of Rasho Nesterovic’s head after KD throws it through. Double-poster.

5. McGee

Two-hand posters are really underrated.

4. Kaman

Just accentuating it is the fact that the poster came in coast-to-coast fashion because on the other end three seconds earlier, KD was blocked Darren Collison’s shot.

3. Gortat

I was all ready to rip this video just for the move Durant put on Beasley at the top of the key. And then he went and did that to Marcin Gortat.

2. Hibbert

Let’s all keep in mind that Roy Hibbert is 7-foot-2. (Also, one extra part I love is the way the ball sounds as it goes in. Like with a little extra thwack! as KD hammers it through.)

1. Haywood

Couple things about this one make it my favorite: 1) The magnitude of the game; 2) the elevation KD gets; 3) the fact OKC went on a big run right after the dunk and 4) the fact it came over Brendan Haywood.

FF_pickups

2 Like

What would Westbrook be like on his own team? Over the last two years, here are his stats with Durant on the court vs. without Durant on the court:

pts fg% reb ast

with Durant 23.0 44.2 6.2 5.8

w/o Durant 31.2 47.8 8.7 4.4

In the four games that Durant has completely missed over the last 2 1/2 years, Westbrook has averaged 27-7-7. Those are LeBron type numbers.

supreme35

@FF_pickups i'm no stat buff so I'm confused about the rebounds.. how are they higher than his season averages over the last 2 years both with and without Durant?

FF_pickups

@supreme35 They are per 36 minutes. but I just double checked my spreadsheet and typed in the wrong numbers on the rebounds. Here is what it should say:

pts fg% reb ast

with Durant 23.0 44.2 4.8 6.7

w/o Durant 31.2 47.8 7.6 5.0

I screwed up the same thing on the assists column. My apologies, thanks for noticing.

[coke head]

1 Like

@supreme35 @FF_pickups They might be per 36 numbers.

FF_pickups

@supreme35 @justin_mia "small sample"

True plus there are a lot of 2nd stringers in there, too. Stats tend to converge to the mean a lot more quickly than people realize. Sample size importance is related to the standard deviation to of the probability function (i.e. how consistent is Westbrook). In general, The more consistent, the smaller the sample size required to have high confidence. You have astutely pointed out before that RW is an inconsistent player, i.e. high standard deviation. So the sample size is a legitimate concern. I don't think that anyone would question that but I do think that the stats are still relevant and can't simply be dismissed due to sample size. We just have less confidence in them.

supreme35

@justin_mia @FF_pickups ah okay. thank you.

[coke head]

1 Like

@supreme35 @FF_pickups < 200 minutes also, last two regular seasons, of Westbrook playing without Durant. Small sample.

Fisha Status

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@FF_pickups RW is gonna be MJ level in 4 years.

Tronchaser

2 Like

@<--A Benz can make me dance @FF_pickups The real question is if Cousins will be MJ in 4 years.

#StirThePot

Tronchaser

@<--A Benz can make me dance @1 Knee 4 Points 5 Rebounds 35 Million Dollars @FF_pickups Everyone recognizes the talent that Cousins has. Everyone also recognizes the crazy that Cousins has as well. :)

Fisha Status

1 Like

@Tronchaser @1 Knee 4 Points 5 Rebounds 35 Million Dollars @FF_pickups LMAO...good. Because if you meant cousins...it wouldve been my last day on DT lol.

Tronchaser

@<--A Benz can make me dance @1 Knee 4 Points 5 Rebounds 35 Million Dollars @FF_pickups Perk, not Cousins.

Perk-Nightmares

1 Like

@FF_pickups @Tronchaser

thats my quarterback...... *tears*

Fisha Status

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@Tronchaser @1 Knee 4 Points 5 Rebounds 35 Million Dollars @FF_pickups WAIT...you're saying you dont think DEMARCUS COUSINS will be in the League in 4 years? Or Kendrick perkins?

Fisha Status

1 Like

@Tronchaser @1 Knee 4 Points 5 Rebounds 35 Million Dollars @FF_pickups as long as he's still tall, he can be on someone's bench

FF_pickups

@Tronchaser It depends on how crazy he is. You certainly could be right. Is he TO crazy or is he Randy Moss crazy? I'll take Randy Moss crazy but I would pass on TO crazy.

Tronchaser

@1 Knee 4 Points 5 Rebounds 35 Million Dollars @Tronchaser @FF_pickups I don't think he'll be in the league in 4 years. If so, it won't be on the Thunder, and it won't be on a contender.

Sustainable Parameters

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@Tronchaser @<--A Benz can make me dance @FF_pickups ever better question is how bad will Perkins be in 4 yrs?

Fisha Status

1 Like

@FF_pickups not one....not two...not three...

FF_pickups

2 Like

@<--A Benz can make me dance He certainly has the talent. He needs to be in the right environment and I do think that the Thunder could be that place. It's a risky move but if it paid off, you could just go ahead and ship 6 titles to us.

Tronchaser

@<--A Benz can make me dance @FF_pickups #EvilPlanGoingExactlyAccordingToPlan

Fisha Status

@Tronchaser @FF_pickups Demarcus Cousins will be one of the best big men in the NBA...

You'll see it in the next 3 years.

You know I wont hesitate to say I told you so.

973 comments

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OBoy

Hawks suspend Josh Smith.

@OBoy Jones III PED's?

@FF_pickups "conduct detrimental to team"

@OBoy Jones III @FF_pickups Sweeeettt...brooklyn nets gonna go HAM on the boards I guess.

@OBoy Jones III dang it! :-)

El Prez

Perk TSN Trending -Dr. El Prez- I haven't said too much lately about our team's overall TSN because there really hasn't been the need. At 30-8 and playing good ball on most nights---there hasn't been the necessity to preach and plead for that extra inch, that extra shred of TSN. Kevin Durant's TSN has exploded and gone off the charts. Mario Chalmers would be well advised not to set foot near the OKC bench again if he knows what's best for his id--super ego. KD would clearly have my vote for MVP if the vote were taken today. Russell, Serge, Thabo, and Nick never had TSN issues to begin with...all range in the 90% to 94% on my most current TSN calculations. Any of these four guys could play hockey for me any day of the week. Liggins is in the same boat. Talk about a guy with TSN gushing in his DNA...no need for talk there. K Mart and Reggie could use a sprinkle of TSN, but I have no real concern there, or even with Hasheem...who could maybe use two sprinkles of TSN fairy dust on the odd night. This brings to my TSN conundrum.. Kendrick Perkins. Before these last three games, Perk's TSN was languishing in the mid 70% range. It dropped to the mid 60% range after those two woeful games where he basically went invisible on the floor. These past three game have been excellent for Perk as his TSN has catapulted from 84% to even 91% for the Suns game. Perk has now done his job three games in a row and is trending with his TSN. If Kendrick Perkins fulfills his link on the TSN chain obligation and I feel OKC will have a very big parade in Bricktown this July. For Perk from Dr. El Prez: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jstT8nTj9vA

Toughness-Snarl-Nasty. As a player are you willing to go that extra inch which separates runner-ups from champions.

@El Prez

i read this but dont know what TSN % is... can you elaborate?

booles

@PerkPunt @El Prez haha i can never remember either. its basically his toughness scale. like how much of an alpha dog you are

andreB

https://soundcloud.com/dtd-podcast/down-to-dunk-podcast-episode

How many easy layups has Westbrook passed up on a break away in order to give his teammate an easy dunk? What has that done to his shooting percentage?

@FF_pickups Probably quite a few... one thing I look at when he does this is his response to KD dunking it or whatever after he hands the ball off. Watch him next time. He genuinely gets fired up about it. This makes me happy. He's enjoying the game, and also his teammates doing well too. That's the guy I want on my team!

BallSoHard

@Tronchaser @FF_pickups It's about the only point guard thing he does...I don't think it's too crazy, it's what he should do per point guard reputation.

@BallSoHard I don't think anyone was saying that he shouldn't do it. I think the point was that it could cause inaccurate conclusions due to statistical analysis.

areayewhy

@FF_pickups also need to look at how many assists that'd take away

@FF_pickups i mean if he took the layup

@FF_pickups These are the types of plays that +/- derived metrics try to account for... the easy layup thing is interesting to me since it would be two points no matter what, but the idea is that Westbrook is negatively influencing his FG% by doing it.

@justin_mia also, track the number of times he goes into the lane and causes the help defender to rotate, misses the shot but the forced rotation leaves the big for an easy offensive rebound and putback. This looks in the statistics like a bad play by Westbrook and a phenomenal play by the big but in reality, Westbrook should get some of the credit.

@FF_pickups @Keith00 This would have been a fun thing to keep track of at the start of the season. I might start doing it.

@Keith00 less than 1 per game is fair, so maybe 30 in 38 games. So if we added 30 fgm and 30 fgs to his totals, he goes from 41.6% to 45.9%, that's huge. His assists drop to about 7.6 per game. I am not sure how you are arguing that this negatively affects his usage rate.

Keith00

@areayewhy @FF_pickups I imagine it's not actually that many. Probably one or fewer per game. If it was much more than that, we would also have to call his usage into question, as it's already sky high without accounting for assists. If he's really passing up a significant number of shots for those assists, it calls into question just how many shots is he taking in less ideal situations.

Never have I seen so many quotes and stories after a win over the Bucks.

Brandon Jennings on Kobe Bryant: "For the whole game, I don't think I've ever seen a guard put that much pressure on a point guard full-court."

how much did you pay for this quote Kobe?

@OBoy Jones III

a dynasty was born last night.

okcjim

Toughest stretch of the season coming up? Over the next 7 days we have 5 games. Denver tonight, Dallas Friday, @Denver Sunday, @Clippers Tuesday, @ Warriors Wed. 3-2 a successful week?

@okcjim @Denver @Clippers

depends on if we are in full health. If we have to lean on liggins and PJ3 and sheem more than i say 3-2 is succesful. At full health I'd thing a 4-1 week with a road loss on a b-2-b as a success.

@okcjim Also, Friday is @ Dallas. I'll be there.

@BallSoHard @okcjim

you live in dallas?

@BallSoHard @PerkPunt @okcjim

my email is bserraile @ yahoo

send me you contact info

@PerkPunt @okcjim definitely. actually live in mckinney, work in richardson.

i live in plano. we should hit a bar up one of these days

@PerkPunt @okcjim yes

That one is brutal too. Should be fun. You're right Friday is @ Dallas.

@okcjim Check out the first half of March...schedule is brutal. By far the toughest stetch of the season.

@okcjim

I love it when we have a lot of games in a short time. It might be hard on the players but it's great on the fans :-)

@FF_pickups

As long as we play well. We lose 3 or 4 in the next week and people will be ready to trade/fire people at the drop of a hat!

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Playing both ends: On OKC’s overall dominance | New Daily Thunder.com says:

January 15, 2013 at 5:25 pm

[...] people talk about the Thunder’s defense. And why would you? It’s a whole lot more fun to talk about dunks than good help [...]
Dot... Dot... Dot... volume 22 » brenthanson.net says:

January 18, 2013 at 8:32 am

[...] Durant has such a silky shot that people love to talk about. He’s a sneaky good dunker, [...]

Kevin Durant’s 10 best posters

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