So much for that so-called slow start. Kevin Durant has been named the Western Conference Player of the Month for December, the NBA announced Monday.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade shared the honor in the East.
Durant averaged a league-high 29.4 points as the Thunder went 11-5, tops in the Northwest Division. Durant shot .517 from the field, .411 from beyond the arc and .850 from the free throw line. On Christmas Day, Durant netted a season-high 44 points to go along with seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals as the Thunder defeated Denver 114-106.
Durant has won the player of the month award in the West one other time, taking it home in April 2010 last season.
Other nominees for Western Conference Players of the Month were Dallas Dirk Nowitzki, Golden State’s Monta Ellis, Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio’s Tony Parker and Utah’s Deron Williams.
Last December was when Durant started his scoring reign of terror where he scored 25 points or more in 29 straight games. In Dec. 2009, KD averaged 29.7 ppg on 49.3 percent shooting and 38.6 percent from 3. So it looks like Durant is almost exactly on the same pace he was last season. And if his team keeps up the winning pace and Durant plays the winter months of 2011 like he did in 2010, he may be getting a bigger award at the end of the year.
What’s the best way to riff on 10 different things you’ve been thinking about but don’t really have a reason or hook to write about them? Rank them, that’s what. And not in any kind of actual order, but more just a “I put a number in front of something” kind of thing. It’s not complicated really.
What got me thinking about this was after a recent game watching Kevin Durant come out of the locker room after speaking with the media and how he shook the hands of every Thunder employee there. He called them by name, thanked them and shook their hand. Even as he walked through the tunnel back to the court to see friends and family, he addressed everyone. It was seriously impressive to me. It’s like he’s the president or something.
That would’ve been No.1 but I already mentioned it. So here’s a set of Daily Thunder Power Rankings which seriously have so much power. Read more…
Darnell Mayberry on KD’s emerging post game: “His latest weapon originates from the left block. Against the Nuggets, it started with a post-up against guard J.R. Smith. Durant gave Smith a bump, dribbled once, turned over his right shoulder, rose and swished a smooth jump shot. Durant then duplicated the quick move against Arron Afflalo. It marked the makings of Durant’s post-up game.”
Marc Stein in his Weekend Dime: “As if the 30.1 points per game he averaged to lead Oklahoma City to 50 wins and finish second in MVP voting weren’t strong enough clues, Kevin Durant announced his leap to superstardom in even louder fashion during the summer. First he signed a max contract extension with the Thunder, with the minimum amount of fuss, to unwittingly earn himself a reputation for being the huggable franchise player most unlike James. The 21-year-old, who has since turned 22, then led an American team missing everyone from the squad that won gold at the 2008 Olympics in China to its first gold medal in the world championships in 16 years, ending a drought dating to 1994.” Read more…
Wow… this show is like a super stuffed pizza pocket. Don’t push down on it or it’ll explode, spraying scalding hot marinara sauce all over your face.
Deep Thoughts? Westbrook and Ibaka showed no class against the Hawks. Barkley is right that the Thunder don’t have a chance to get out of the first round of the playoffs. The Mavs have way more heart and passion than the Thunder and it shows in their antics on the court. If these comments are causing your heart rate to skyrocket, take a listen.
We also interview KELLY CRULL, sideline reporter for the OKC Thunder.
WARNING: Attempting to take in the full episode in one sitting may result in severe heart burn.
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See here’s the thing: The Spurs are really good. That’s the first thing to recognize about this game. The San Antonio Spurs are absolutely as good as anyone in the league. There’s no doubt about it.
However, and this is an excuse I realize, but Oklahoma City was playing just 24 hours after a hard fought, up and down affair against the Hawks against a well rested San Antonio team that happens to have the best record in the NBA, and is undefeated at home since the start of December. Winning was going to be a challenge. Possibly even a miracle.
But that doesn’t excuse the total egg laid by the Thunder. From the opening tip it was obvious that the Spurs were ready and OKC wasn’t. The Thunder started the game just 4-22 and had seven turnovers in the first 15 minutes. At one point, OKC trailed by 18 in the first half. Even with the excuses of heavy legs and on the road, the Thunder’s just too good of a team with too much talent to let that happen.
Really the only player that appeared excited to play in the first half was Serge Ibaka who had 11 points, nine rebounds and was fighting his butt off on the inside against Tim Duncan and DeJuan Blair. Everyone else seemed to be coasting a bit. You can get away with those types of things against lesser teams on the second night of a back-to-back but against the league’s best, you better be ready. Read more…
Playing the best team in basketball New Year’s Day on the second of a back-to-back? Not. Easy. But you know what? I have a strangely good feeling about this game. No good or reasonable reason why, but I just feel like the Thunder’s playing better basketball lately and will be ready. Read more…
(Happy 2011. Thank you for your support of Daily Thunder. Here’s to 365 more days.)
Russell Westbrook may have gotten his triple-double in a semi sketchy way, but it was a triple-double nonetheless, the third of his career. He was great last night against the Hawks creating space for shooters and running the offense well. And of course, was great on the glass.
Something about New Year’s in Oklahoma City and fun basketball games. Or more specifically, winning basketball games.
The Thunder used some seriously hot shooting to take down the Hawks 103-94 behind 33 from Kevin Durant and a triple-double from Russell Westbrook. OKC went 10-18 from 3 – this being from one of the worst outside shooting teams in the league – while holding the typically solid Hawks to just 5-18 from the money line.
Three points to make about this game:
1) Serge Ibaka was terrific. I had a feeling that the Al Horford – Jeff Green matchup would be a tough situation for OKC so Scott Brooks went with Ibaka in the second half. Serge saw 31 minutes and registered 10 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks while holding Horford to just 14. Read more…
So much for that so-called slow start. Kevin Durant has been named the Western Conference Player of the Month for December, the NBA announced Monday.
Wow… this show is like a super stuffed pizza pocket. Don’t push down on it or it’ll explode, spraying scalding hot marinara sauce all over your face.
