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Like Larry Bird, like LeBron James, Kevin Durant in his prime is must-see at any opportunity you have. Basketball has never witnessed a 6-foot-11 guy who can score with such ease or variety from anywhere on the floor. Old heads can think of George Gervin, but with three more inches. Other than that, Durant may be unique to any NBA player ever.
But unlike some of the greats of this sport, Durant has seen his basketball mortality flash before him, and he's only 27 years of age. That's what happens when a year of your prime is stripped away due to a foot issue and you miss an entire season, a season where the Oklahoma City Thunder failed to make the playoffs, calling into question the franchise's window of opportunity.
Maybe this is why Kevin Durant seems like a different player now. He looks as if he's on a mission to destroy anything in his path.
Here's the stone truth about Durant, his running mate Russell Westbrook and the Thunder. Their window is closing so rapidly, it is not unreasonable to conclude that this is the year Oklahoma City must break through and win a title — or face the breakup of a core that has been all but anointed multiple titles since 2012, when they went to the NBA Finals and lost to LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
Durant, Westbrook, Serge Ibaka … they were barely in their 20s, having fun, no pressure on their shoulders. They had James Harden along for the ride, an explosive sixth man who we had no idea possessed MVP kind of talent. Almost four years later, this group is in its prime.
And they are also facing questions. Durant will be an unrestricted free agent this coming summer. Westbrook's free agency comes up the next year. With each playoff failure, there was always the promise of next season. There was always a future. This is the first year that can't be said.
So the Thunder need to win, and they need to win now.
The good news? Durant is healthy, and when he is, he's one of the great ones. People want to crown Anthony Davis or Stephen Curry as the second-best player in the world behind James. That isn't true. James and Durant are on one plane, the rest of the NBA players are on another.
History is on Durant's side. The great ones typically find a way to win a title around their late 20s. Michael Jordan broke through at age 28. James got one at 27. And like Jordan and James, Durant has his best team at the most opportune time. The Thunder are loaded this year. Westbrook alone is a top-10 individual player, one of the best point guards in the NBA without question. Ibaka is one of the top defenders in the league, and the supporting cast is deep and versatile. Even Enes Kanter — unloaded by the Jazz last February — has proved to be a significant asset.
But it all comes back to Durant. He's different than the fun-loving teenager who broke into the league in 2008. He seems to care a bit less about the image he's spent years carefully crafting. He's a bit more surly, on the floor and in the locker room. In truth, though, he shouldn't be blamed for that. He's been robbed of a year with injury. And he's never won a championship on the college or the pro level. He, more than anyone, knows this is the year.
For the Oklahoma City Thunder, the time to win is now. Because for the first time since Durant joined the franchise, we don't know what next year holds. —
Three-pointers
Tragedy strikes
Last Sunday, Minnesota head coach Flip Saunders passed away from cancer. His death came as a shock to many, because when Saunders was first diagnosed, doctors pronounced his condition treatable, with Saunders even saying he planned to continue working through treatment. Saunders leaves behind the legacy of a coaching lifer, and someone who gave his all to the game of basketball. A private ceremony is being held this weekend.
Ring night
The Golden State Warriors received their NBA championship rings on Tuesday night, then promptly went out and wiped the floor with the New Orleans Pelicans. Stephen Curry was sensational, scoring 40 points and making it look easy. The Warriors looked every bit as dominant as they were last season on the way to the title.
His return
The Mamba is back, and shooting it like he never left. Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers returned on Wednesday night, a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bryant played well for the most part, but his shot betrayed him in the second half. He ended with 24 points, but shot 8 of 24 in doing so. Not a great percentage from the field, at all.
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Player of the week
Curry played just once, but he was no doubt the best player in his one outing. 40 points, seven assists, and making it look video game easy in large stretches. If he plays like this through an entire season, he may win another MVP.
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Upset of the week
The Denver Nuggets waltzed into Houston and whipped the Rockets 105-85 on Wednesday night. Emmanuel Mudiay looks like the real thing, the rookie point guard scoring 17 points and dropping nine assists in his pro debut. He had 11 turnovers, but we're going to overlook that.