Kevin Durant is touted as the most unstoppable scorer in the league, arguably one of the most unstoppable of all time. Defending him one-on-one is nearly impossible, KD can shoot over just about everybody in the league. However, that has not manifested itself in the playoffs so far this season, Durant has been thwarted extremely well by the dogged defense of the Boston Celtics, which has been a large factor in helping them take a commanding 3-0 series lead.
However, there is some cause for concern for the Nets, as it’s not just that the Celtics are limiting Durant’s shots, which they are, it’s that Durant himself is shooting abysmally on the shots that he does get to take. His percentages have fallen well below his usual high standards, and there’s not a lot the coaching staff or his teammates can do about that.
KD 😬
(@_Talkin_NBA) pic.twitter.com/wHiB88fgTC
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 24, 2022
Durant is averaging 22 points per game in this series and has not made more than 10 field goals in any of the first 3 games. He has gone 19 of 52 from the field in those games, which is a disappointing 36% field goal percentage. He’s shooting 40% from three-point range but has taken just 10 total threes in the entire series so far.
The Nets are supposed to have the most unstoppable offense in the league, even when they’re missing Joe Harris and Ben Simmons. Durant and Irving are two of the most gifted offensive players of this generation, some have said the most skilled of all time as a duo, but the isolation plays they keep running look like they’re playing right into the hands of the Celtics’ impressive defensive schemes.
No team has ever overturned a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs, and the Nets have shown no signs so far that they could be the first, but with KD due to get serious criticism if they are swept in the first round, he will be hoping to have a dominant performance in the next game so that they can at least go down with some semblance of a fight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rY_6mPs8hY
