Durant is in his mid-2000's Dirk phase right now

[Akrazotile]

To put all the hyperbole and purposeful Durant-bashing aside, this really highlights the difference between the regular season and the playoffs.

The regular seasons is for the young guys. Lots of up and down, lots of jump shots, less physical defense... This is where you see young, explosive players shine and stack up numbers. The MVP usually ends up being a younger guy who floored it during the regular season to make a name for himself.

The playoffs are an adult game. Battle tested veterans, physical confrontations, poise, composure, patience. Durant is still only 25 years old. Everyone wants to live in the moment and crush him for disappearing or not playing like a 29 year old MJ. But just because he's a regular season MVP now, he's still growing as a playoff performer.

He's in his Dirk phase right now. He's tall and he's got a jumper, and that's been enough to get him by so far when expectations of him and the team were just starting to build. Dirk used to get punked by guys like Stephen Jackson, Artest, even Baron Davis. Once you win an MVP and your team wins 60 games, people expect you to just dominate the same way in the playoffs immediately. But that growth usually takes longer, especially for guys who don't fill out as quickly.


Some people are pronouncing Durant to be a lifetime loser already when he's 25 years old. It's the same thing they did with Dirk. And the reason they did it with Dirk is because at the time all he ever did was roam the perimeter. The only way he took advantage of his size was by staying out at the line and pulling a defender away from the basket. Once he failed in the playoffs a few times and realized he needed to get better positioning and learn how to take advantage of his size in a 1-on-1 matchup, he had postseason success. Durant can do the same.


The end.

[NumberSix]

Didn't read. Deuxrant is a bitch.

[1987_Lakers]

Dirk at 25 wasn't the player Durant is right now.

[LONGTIME]

To put all the hyperbole and purposeful Durant-bashing aside, this really highlights the difference between the regular season and the playoffs.

The regular seasons is for the young guys. Lots of up and down, lots of jump shots, less physical defense... This is where you see young, explosive players shine and stack up numbers. The MVP usually ends up being a younger guy who floored it during the regular season to make a name for himself.

The playoffs are an adult game. Battle tested veterans, physical confrontations, poise, composure, patience. Durant is still only 25 years old. Everyone wants to live in the moment and crush him for disappearing or not playing like a 29 year old MJ. But just because he's a regular season MVP now, he's still growing as a playoff performer.

He's in his Dirk phase right now. He's tall and he's got a jumper, and that's been enough to get him by so far when expectations of him and the team were just starting to build. Dirk used to get punked by guys like Stephen Jackson, Artest, even Baron Davis. Once you win an MVP and your team wins 60 games, people expect you to just dominate the same way in the playoffs immediately. But that growth usually takes longer, especially for guys who don't fill out as quickly.


Some people are pronouncing Durant to be a lifetime loser already when he's 25 years old. It's the same thing they did with Dirk. And the reason they did it with Dirk is because at the time all he ever did was roam the perimeter. The only way he took advantage of his size was by staying out at the line and pulling a defender away from the basket. Once he failed in the playoffs a few times and realized he needed to get better positioning and learn how to take advantage of his size in a 1-on-1 matchup, he had postseason success. Durant can do the same.


The end.

:applause:

[Jacks3]

You guys love to come up with narratives after every game.

And to do it after a game in which he scores 40 pts on 24 shots...

:facepalm

[Dengness9]

Read. I see what you're saying.


NumberSix read it btw.

[AnaheimLakers24]

durant living rent free and got you writong essays on a trolling message board

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Which is why I've continued to "preach" that the regular season and playoffs are two different beasts.

Defenses, physicality, ball movement, fouls (or lack there of) are...different.

So far, postseason-KD has played above average, but he's left a lot of room for improvement. Tony Allen and CP3 have basically shut him down for long stretches of games. Not a good look.

[navy]

We gonna act like like Dirk would have a ring if not for an epic Lebron choke?

[tmacattack33]

You guys love to come up with narratives after every game.

And to do it after a game in which he scores 40 pts on 24 shots...

:facepalm

And 8 turnovers.

[Cone]

We gonna act like like Dirk would have a ring if not for an epic Lebron choke?

We gonna act like Dirk wouldnt have 2 rings if it wasnt for the refs screwing him over in 2006?

we gonna act like Dirk wouldnt have 3 rings if it wasnt for the refs and getting injured in 2003?

now gtfo.

[Dengness9]

We gonna act like like Dirk would have a ring if not for an epic Lebron choke?

A Lebron choke and the Mavs putting that team in its place. Dirk deserves massive credit for the Mavs success no matter how impossible lbgays choke job was.

[red1]

We gonna act like Dirk wouldnt have 2 rings if it wasnt for the refs screwing him over in 2006?

we gonna act like Dirk wouldnt have 3 rings if it wasnt for the refs and getting injured in 2003?

now gtfo.
if but shoulda coulda woulda

[Cone]

if but shoulda coulda woulda

yeah that was my point.

did you read his post?

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Also not sure who it was (maybe Kblaze), who said the regular season is enough to gather what a player can and cant do... F*ckery :lol :facepalm

[Kargo]

We gonna act like like Dirk would have a ring if not for an epic Lebron choke?

Mavs vs Heat 6-2 in 2011.

The better team won,your argument is irrelevant.

[SilkkTheShocker]

Dirk at 25 wasn't the player Durant is right now.
Dirk win over 50 games year for seemingly forever with Jason terry and josh Howard as his best players. Honestly, Dirk>>>>FT35

[Cone]

Dirk win over 50 games year for seemingly forever with Jason terry and josh Howard as his best players. Honestly, Dirk>>>>FT35

im a big kd fan, but this is the truth. dirk deserves more respect for what he's done with his mediocre supporting cast for his career :cheers:

[backb0ard]

You mean the Dirk who continually shat on Pau Gasol, who carried Kobe in the finals?

Or the Dirk who stopped dynasty era Spurs and prevented them from having a three peat?

Let's be honest, Dirk was doing battle with mid '00 Spurs and Suns. All three of those teams would destroy every team in the playoffs now.

Dirk was competing with prime Duncan and prime Garnett. Nobody in the NBA right now comes close to those dudes defensively.

It's not comparable.

[MrC1991]

You mean the Dirk who continually shat on Pau Gasol, who carried Kobe in the finals?

Or the Dirk who stopped dynasty era Spurs and prevented them from having a three peat?

Let's be honest, Dirk was doing battle with mid '00 Spurs and Suns. All three of those teams would destroy every team in the playoffs now.

Dirk was competing with prime Duncan and prime Garnett. Nobody in the NBA right now comes close to those dudes defensively.

It's not comparable.

:rockon: Agree 100%

[NumberSix]

Durant will never be on Dirk's level.

[Jacks3]

You mean the Dirk who continually shat on Pau Gasol, who carried Kobe in the finals?

.
What is this garbage? :oldlol:

[Akrazotile]

You mean the Dirk who continually shat on Pau Gasol, who carried Kobe in the finals?

Or the Dirk who stopped dynasty era Spurs and prevented them from having a three peat?

Let's be honest, Dirk was doing battle with mid '00 Spurs and Suns. All three of those teams would destroy every team in the playoffs now.

Dirk was competing with prime Duncan and prime Garnett. Nobody in the NBA right now comes close to those dudes defensively.

It's not comparable.


You're only remembering the good. We gonna act like Dirk didn't get avalanches of criticism for being 'soft' and letting guys Barkley called midgets disrupt his offensive game? You mentioned the Suns and the Spurs and Duncan and Garnet. Why no mention of Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson and the Golden State Warriors?

Come on man. If you think pre-title Dirk is better than Durant that's fine. But their style of play and their path to success has been similar. Durant is still only 25 years old though, so he's still got a lot of story left to write.

[DirkNowitzki07]

You mean the Dirk who continually shat on Pau Gasol, who carried Kobe in the finals?

Or the Dirk who stopped dynasty era Spurs and prevented them from having a three peat?

Let's be honest, Dirk was doing battle with mid '00 Spurs and Suns. All three of those teams would destroy every team in the playoffs now.

Dirk was competing with prime Duncan and prime Garnett. Nobody in the NBA right now comes close to those dudes defensively.

It's not comparable.

When Dirk was 25 he was shitting all over the early 2000's kings and Chris Webber, he also dropped a couple of 40 point games against prime Garnett in the playoffs.

Kevin Durant needs a post game.

[IamRAMBO24]

To put all the hyperbole and purposeful Durant-bashing aside, this really highlights the difference between the regular season and the playoffs.

The regular seasons is for the young guys. Lots of up and down, lots of jump shots, less physical defense... This is where you see young, explosive players shine and stack up numbers. The MVP usually ends up being a younger guy who floored it during the regular season to make a name for himself.

The playoffs are an adult game. Battle tested veterans, physical confrontations, poise, composure, patience. Durant is still only 25 years old. Everyone wants to live in the moment and crush him for disappearing or not playing like a 29 year old MJ. But just because he's a regular season MVP now, he's still growing as a playoff performer.

He's in his Dirk phase right now. He's tall and he's got a jumper, and that's been enough to get him by so far when expectations of him and the team were just starting to build. Dirk used to get punked by guys like Stephen Jackson, Artest, even Baron Davis. Once you win an MVP and your team wins 60 games, people expect you to just dominate the same way in the playoffs immediately. But that growth usually takes longer, especially for guys who don't fill out as quickly.


Some people are pronouncing Durant to be a lifetime loser already when he's 25 years old. It's the same thing they did with Dirk. And the reason they did it with Dirk is because at the time all he ever did was roam the perimeter. The only way he took advantage of his size was by staying out at the line and pulling a defender away from the basket. Once he failed in the playoffs a few times and realized he needed to get better positioning and learn how to take advantage of his size in a 1-on-1 matchup, he had postseason success. Durant can do the same.


The end.

Fair yet critical. Lebron stans should learn from you. :applause:

[Doranku]

Can you imagine if Kobe or Dirk lost a must-win Game 4 in a close game while one of their teammates had a 43 point game?

People still be talking about it today. Kobe haters like to act like Pau carried Kobe in Game 7 because he had 3 more boards than Kobe and scored 19 points on 6-16 as a 7 footer. :oldlol:

Imagine the riot that people would make if Kobe lost that game while Pau put up 43? He would be ABSOLUTELY crucified forever and this is essentially what happened to Durant when he lost a must-win Game 4.

Durant isn't held to the same standards as guys like Kobe and LeBron because he isn't the same caliber of player.

[moe94]

Great post.

[DMAVS41]

Can you imagine if Kobe or Dirk lost a must-win Game 4 in a close game while one of their teammates had a 43 point game?

People still be talking about it today. Kobe haters like to act like Pau carried Kobe in Game 7 because he had 3 more boards than Kobe and scored 19 points on 6-16 as a 7 footer. :oldlol:

Imagine the riot that people would make if Kobe lost that game while Pau put up 43? He would be ABSOLUTELY crucified forever and this is essentially what happened to Durant when he lost a must-win Game 4.

Durant isn't held to the same standards as guys like Kobe and LeBron because he isn't the same caliber of player.


I don't know where KD falls in terms of what kind of player he is or isn't, but what I do know....guys like Dirk, Kobe, and Lebron would be getting massive amounts of criticism in similar spots that Durant gets a pass.

Everyone freaked about that "unreliable" article, but it was the truth at the time. He played like dog shit for a 3.5 game stretch against Memphis and was just lucky to even have a chance to still playing.

I like Durant though...and think he's certainly on the level of Dirk as a player.

But, comparing the two the way some have here is silly. For starters, Durant is playing with objectively more help...and people are referencing the one series really that the Mavs lost in Dirk's prime in which he wasn't pretty freaking great. People acting like Dirk in the mid 00's was getting shut down is laughable...and he certainly didn't have anyone close to as good as Westbrook.

But, meh, it's a long series and everyone will over-react after next game regardless.