[ESPN] Kevin Durant Set to have Breakthrough Season?

I kinda thought LAST season was a breakout for KD.

Hard to imagine how he could top that individually speaking - the Thunder coming along as a unit could raie him even further though, in the national conscious.

 

Last year WAS a breakout season for him. He really started the breakout the last couple of months of his rookie year. This year, KD needs to elevate his team to more wins. I love him as must as anyone, but I'm ready for the talk to stop and for the games to begin.

For some reason this year, I'm having real trouble getting interested in the pre-season.

 

He is not a superstar until he starts adding some W's to his impressive stat line.

 

They play better without Durant anyways...

 

I think this year is the year they make the playoffs.....just my opinion

PS. I just think they have a really good line up!!

Westbrook
Harden
Durant
Green
Kristic

-rocketblaze

 

They've got a good, young team with an all-star player, but I don't think they're ready to take that next step into the playoffs, but they're definetly booming with potential in future years.

 

Everyone knows the Thunder are nowhere near the playoffs this season...so I'd say by breakthrough season it means for KD to be a more complete player in EVERY category not just scoring like he did before...of course KD is still gonna put up all-star scoring numbers...now everyones gonna be predicting KDurant to become a monster and to dominate the boards ramp up the assists and be an elite defender.....and doubling his team's last season's win total.

Kevin Durant is of course gonna increase his scoring as well. Just maybe not 50 per game..

 

Thats true about the Blazer/Warriors/76ers...however I have to point out that they all had experienced starter-quality veterans on them at the time (such as Andre Miller/JoelPryzbilla/StephenJackson). Without those veterans they would not have had the success the way they did

I love the Thunder right now and they have an AMAZING future...however all of the key players are extremely young and need a few more years seasoning to make any playoff noise.

In the mean time...they'll be MAD fun to watch and follow!

 

Play better without him? I highly suspect Oklahoma City's starters are getting blown out of the water and the other team let's up in garbage time.

OCT needs JVG. JVG may not be the coach to lead them to the Finals, but he would have them playing defense. They need a shot blocker and a defensive philosophy.

 

I disagree with your suggestion of JVG..OKC needs an uptempo high-scoring system with all their extremely talented scorers. Westbrook/Harden/Durant/Green/Krstic are all great offensive players with a superstar among them. They all excell at transition and fastbreak and an uptempo system would make the team reach its full potential.

and besides...with all those exciting players on that team...would you rather watch a grind-it-out halfcourt offense or a 7-seconds-or-less-offense??

 

Everyone knows the Thunder are "nowhere near" the playoffs this season? Is that so? I don't think they will make the playoffs but it's likely they will be only a few games behind the 8th seed. And last season KD averaged 6.5 rebs/game. How many more does he need? That isn't bad for a SF.

 

With the immensely competitive West right now I don't see the Thunder coming close to the playoffs..teams that missed the playoffs last season are going to be better this year...Suns with Amare back and Clippers with everyone healthy and refreshed. GSW has a better chance of getting a playoff spot than OKC does to be honest. Gaping holes remain: no good veterans and no starting-caliber big men. Veterans are what win games in this league.

 

Not quite, people noticed they improved their W column, each year after drafting Roy. It was only on this board that most people were dismissing them last pre-season.

OKC are nothing like the Blazers. They just haven't made progress as a team. They're consistently bad. My prediction is they're going to have a lot of balls in the lottery next year.

 

They certainly do--they got all their own balls as well as the Suns balls...thats a lot of balls thats for sure.

This is the year OKC makes progress though. Stable coach stable roster...they can't not make progress from 20 wins can they??

 

Blazers had 21 wins before drafting Roy. Roy's rookie year gave them 32, then 41 next, to 54 last season.

Seattle had 31 wins before drafting Durant. Durant's rookie year produced 20 wins, then 23 wins last season.

 

True but the Seattle team that had 31 wins had Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis.

 

huge difference there buddy. seattle traded away EVERYTHING.