Kevin Durant is one of the most electric scorers the NBA has ever seen. The near 7-foot forward is a very capable three-level scorer and can score from any point on the court. He has an incredible range with his three-pointers, and his mid-range is basically unstoppable. KD’s scoring numbers prove how volume and efficiency can combine together effortlessly.
Many people have wondered if KD has always had to suppress his scoring because of the strong teams he has been on in his entire career. KD sacrificed for Russell Westbrook in OKC, sacrificed for Steph Curry in Golden State, and sacrificed for both James Harden and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn.
Jamal Crawford is another name people will always remember for scoring. The 3-time Sixth Man of the Year decided to talk about Durant on ESPN and said that KD is a player that could easily score 40 points every night if he chose to.
“He’s someone who cares about people. If Kevin Durant was mean, he could average 40 points. But he averages 30 because it’s the right way to do things. He’s always thinking about others first. People like, ‘He’s too emotional. He’s too sensitive.’ Nah, he’s real. He’s giving you real emotion every single time. I would say he’s one of the realest.”
When Durant wants to, he probably can score like this. We saw him put in some incredible scoring performances in the 2nd round of the 2021 playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks. KD was without Kyrie, and Harden, so he was forced to carry the scoring load single-handedly.
Every player would prefer averaging 30 and competing for a championship every season as compared to averaging 40+ on a team that can barely make the playoffs. Sacrificing his numbers is the smartest thing KD could have done for his championship hopes. Hopefully, he finds a similar situation so we can continue seeing him compete on the highest level.
