Kevin Durant vs Hakeem Olajuwon

[tontoz]

68 games out of 988 games played is a small sample size. But if you want to focus on the playoffs.....Durant led the league in playoff scoring 4 times while in OKC. For his career he ranks 4th all time in playoff ppg at 29.09


In 11/12 and 12/13 Durant had no drop in efficiency during the playoffs. After the Harden trade he was forced to take more shots in the playoffs (3 more shots per game than 12/13) and his efficiency went down a bit. Let's not pretend like he was dogging it.

Who else did opposing defenses have to worry about? They were happy to let Westbrook shoot all the jumpers he wanted.

After he was traded to GS his shot attempts went down and naturally his efficiency went back up.

[red1]

kd is a bitch.




gotta give this one to the dream.

[insidious301]

68 games out of 988 games played is a small sample size. But if you want to focus on the playoffs.....Durant led the league in playoff scoring 4 times while in OKC. For his career he ranks 4th all time in playoff ppg at 29.09


In 11/12 and 12/13 Durant had no drop in efficiency during the playoffs. After the Harden trade he was forced to take more shots in the playoffs (3 more shots per game than 12/13) and his efficiency went down a bit. Let's not pretend like he was dogging it.

Who else did opposing defenses have to worry about? They were happy to let Westbrook shoot all the jumpers he wanted.

After he was traded to GS his shot attempts went down and naturally his efficiency went back up.

Everyone focuses on the playoffs. What do you mean if you "want" to?

[tontoz]

Everyone focuses on the playoffs. What do you mean if you "want" to?

You may not be aware of this but the MVP award doesn't count the playoffs.

I like to look at all the games, not just the playoffs.

[insidious301]

You may not be aware of this but the MVP award doesn't count the playoffs.

What does "MVP" have to do with you ignoring the playoffs. And deeming it a "small" sample? People focus on the playoffs just as they do the regular-season.

[tontoz]

What does "MVP" have to do with you ignoring the playoffs. And deeming it a "small" sample? People focus on the playoffs just as they do the regular-season.

Is English your 2nd language or something?

I look at all the games. I am not going to pick a handful of playoff runs out of an entire career to push a narrative.

[tontoz]

In 11/12 and 12/13 Durant had no drop in efficiency during the playoffs.

Correction. In 10/11 and 11/12 Durant had no drop in efficiency in the playoffs.

[insidious301]

Is English your 2nd language or something?

I look at all the games. I am not going to pick a handful of playoff runs out of an entire career to push a narrative.

That's a funny way of backtracking. You saw the playoff numbers that were posted, and then tried to brush them off as a "small" sample. But when we include the regular-season and playoffs, Durant's percentages all got better in GS, so they did in fact "jump". Contradicting your dumb claim.

[tontoz]

That's a funny way of backtracking. You saw the playoff numbers that were posted, and then tried to brush them off as a "small" sample. But when we include the regular-season and playoffs, Durant's percentages all got better in GS, so they did in fact "jump". Contradicting your dumb claim.

First of all, no they didn't. Regular season efficiency was virtually identical with both teams.

Secondly, relative to the regular season, Durant's playoff efficiency dropped only in the 3 years after the harden trade. That is 48 games. BTW Durant led the league in playoff scoring in all three seasons. With harden gone he forced up some shots he wouldn't ordinarily take.. so what?

In his first season with GS Durant took nearly 5 fewer shots per game in the playoffs than the 3 previous seasons with OKC.

[insidious301]

First of all, no they didn't. Regular season efficiency was virtually identical with both teams.

Secondly, relative to the regular season, Durant's playoff efficiency dropped only in the 3 years after the harden trade. That is 48 games. BTW Durant led the league in playoff scoring in all three seasons. With harden gone he forced up some shots he wouldn't ordinarily take.. so what?

In his first season with GS Durant took nearly 5 fewer shots per game in the playoffs than the 3 previous seasons with OKC.

But when we include the regular-season and playoffs, Durant's percentages all got better in GS, so they did in fact "jump".

You asked me if English was my second language, yet you are not comprehending what is being said. Again: When Durant's regular-season and playoff numbers are combined, they jumped immediately in GS. The keyword is combined. And the thing is, why would Durant not shoot better with more spacing? You're going against logic but also straying away from the point by cherry-picking. His numbers are what they are, and were better in GS.

[tontoz]

You asked me if English was my second language, yet you are not comprehending what is being said. Again: When Durant's regular-season and playoff numbers are combined, they jumped immediately in GS. The keyword is combined. And the thing is, why would Durant not shoot better with more spacing? You're going against logic but also straying away from the point by cherry-picking. His numbers are what they are, and were better in GS.

Correlation does not equal causation. Durant was only 19 when he was drafted. He was 28 when he went to GS. I think it is safe to say he was a much better player at 28 than he was 19-22 so of course his combined numbers will be better in GS. So what?

If you look at his last few full seasons with OKC vs his 3 with GS he is pretty much the same guy he just took fewer shots in the playoffs with GS.

[insidious301]

Correlation does not equal causation. Durant was only 19 when he was drafted. He was 28 when he went to GS. I think it is safe to say he was a much better player at 28 than he was 19-22 so of course his combined numbers will be better in GS. So what?

If you look at his last few full seasons with OKC vs his 3 with GS he is pretty much the same guy he just took fewer shots in the playoffs with GS.

Nobody is arguing that it does. But it is obvious playing with better players would alleviate defensive pressure. That is just common sense. It is also why Durant shot better in GS, contrary to your claim.

[tontoz]

Nobody is arguing that it does. But it is obvious playing with better players would alleviate defensive pressure. That is just common sense. It is also why Durant shot better in GS, contrary to your claim.

Correction, it is part of the reason he shot better in the playoffs in GS.

It isn't just an issue of opposing defenses. It is also a question of the confidence he has in his teammates. If he lacks confidence in his teammates, as I believe he did after the harden trade, then he will be more inclined to take tough, contested shots.

And of course there is the natural progression that driven players will make over the years in their prime.

I just reject.the premise that Durant's play fell off during the playoffs. I also reject the premise that he needed better teammates to score efficiently. He is an iso player. He can abuse guys 1 on 1 on any team.

[insidious301]

Correction, it is part of the reason he shot better in the playoffs in GS.

It isn't just an issue of opposing defenses. It is also a question of the confidence he has in his teammates. If he lacks confidence in his teammates, as I believe he did after the harden trade, then he will be more inclined to take tough, contested shots.

And of course there is the natural progression that driven players will make over the years in their prime.

I just reject.the premise that Durant's play fell off during the playoffs. I also reject the premise that he needed better teammates to score efficiently. He is an iso player. He can abuse guys 1 on 1 on any team.

Fair enough. All of that just goes back to playing with better teammates though. More open shots. Things you cannot measure like "confidence" etc. Nobody claimed Durant was inefficient before playing in GS either. Only that he clearly saw an increase there. Durant has always been a great scorer.

[HoopsNY]

68 games out of 988 games played is a small sample size. But if you want to focus on the playoffs.....Durant led the league in playoff scoring 4 times while in OKC. For his career he ranks 4th all time in playoff ppg at 29.09


In 11/12 and 12/13 Durant had no drop in efficiency during the playoffs. After the Harden trade he was forced to take more shots in the playoffs (3 more shots per game than 12/13) and his efficiency went down a bit. Let's not pretend like he was dogging it.

Who else did opposing defenses have to worry about? They were happy to let Westbrook shoot all the jumpers he wanted.

After he was traded to GS his shot attempts went down and naturally his efficiency went back up.

I agreed with your previous response. But where the playoffs is concerned, Hakeem averaged 27 PPG until 1999. KD at 29 PPG is not a tremendous difference, especially when you consider the eras in which they both played.

This doesn't mean that Hakeem was the better scorer. He wasn't. But I'm not sure the disparity is as a great as you're making it seem.