At the end of February, the Brooklyn Nets training ended, the players began to leave the field, Kevin Durant jumped off the training platform, picked up the basketball, and walked towards the basket.
With every shot he made, any timidity in his footsteps disappeared, and a familiar feeling emerged from every step back jumper made. Eight months after the Achilles tendon ruptured, he was not quite ready to come back - at least not yet.
Durant maintains his rehabilitation program. He often wears a gray cap and dangles on a scooter, from walking to running, from running to jumping, from jumping to holding the ball. One of the greatest scorers in NBA history, he is rebuilding himself from the most basic.
"If I played last year, I might be overwhelmed by just a quick change, changing a team, and being in a different environment," Durant told reporters last week. "But I think one year will definitely help me coming to this training camp, because I now know the trainers, coaches and teammates very well."
The only time Durant spoke to the media this season was in Kobe- A few days after Bryant died. Durant's teammate Kyrie- Irving regards Bryant as a close friend and mentor. Two days after Bryant's death, the Nets publicist asked Owen to talk to reporters, but he refused. On the contrary, Durant said he would do so, so that Irving continued to stay away from the camera to mourn.
Otherwise, Durant is a shady figure in the background of the Nets this season, but his presence is frightening. He came to most of the Barclays Center games less than an hour before the start of the game, and would walk on the field in sportswear with his team. Part of him is like the observer of the team and part of the coach of the team.
Just before these games introduced the starting lineup, the big screen montage above the Brooklyn Arena quickly looped every player on the list, from Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris to Irving. The final picture: Durant stared at the dazzling close-up of the stadium from the screen. He has been away from the game for more than 550 days.
Now he is back. This is a team led by him and Irving, his friends and partners. Kevin Durant is no longer the mysterious figure shrouded in the Nets. He is the core of their future, and this is where new problems arise.
One, will injuries affect KD?
Durant's return will be the highest concern and most important test case of how NBA player ruptured Achilles tendon so far. Although Achilles tendon injuries have become more common, including the injury suffered by Durant’s former Golden State Warriors teammate Klay Thompson in a training session last month, we have a sample of players returning from Achilles tendon injuries. The amount is still small.
On average, the performance per minute of players returning from Achilles tendon rupture is about 8% worse than SCHOENE's prediction based on their performance in the past three seasons and the development of similar players of the same age.
However, the differences between these players are huge. A few players, the most famous being Hall of Famer Dominic Wilkins and San Antonio Spurs veteran Rudy Gay, have actually exceeded their predictions before the injury. Others, including Dominic’s brother Gerald Wilkins and All-Star center Okur, have never come close to returning to the expected form.
So, for Durant's return, the first good news is what a good player he was before the injury. When we last saw Durant go all out, the first two rounds of the 2019 playoffs before his calf injury, he was arguing with LeBron James on the grounds that he might be the best player in the NBA. Watch the playoffs of that year at home. reduces Durant’s 2020-21 SCHOENE forecast by 8%, and he will be almost equal to Paul George and others of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Here I will insert a professional data analysis website 538 An expectation of Durant's future, compares with James, not too optimistic. .
Durant’s skills are another reason for optimism. The two biggest success stories after Achilles tendon rupture are technical wings like Durant, which may not be a coincidence. Dominic Wilkins is not the kind of shooter in his career, but after the injury, his three-pointers averaged (1.7) and three-point field goal percentage (38%) both set a career high. At that time, he averaged 29.9 points per game and was selected to the All-Star for the eighth consecutive time.
Even if Durant loses some athleticism due to the combined effects of age and injury, he should be able to transition to playing more power forwards (maybe even a center) in Brooklyn, where his speed is affected. Not his size may be his biggest advantage. The same wide range of skills helped Z1zWNBA Branna Stewart of the Seattle Storm remain the best player in the WNBA after missing a season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. Stewart led the Storm to their second championship in three years and was once again named the Finals MVP.
The key difference between Durant and Stewart is their age. Stewart is 26 years old this season, and Durant is 32 years old, entering his 13th NBA season. Before the injury, we thought Durant would begin to decline gently in his 30s. Whether he can avoid more gaps after the Achilles tendon ruptures will help determine whether the Nets will become a contender for the championship. --Kevin Pelton
Second, how will Durant and Owen cooperate?
is live on Instagram, and Kyrie Irving is flirting with Kevin Durant.
Before their first Nets preseason game, they were discussing the team's offensive system. Irving is concerned about how many opportunities he has to get in the low singles.
"Seven times or eight times?" Owen asked.
"I thought it would be enough for us to do 2.5 low singles in a game." Durant responded. "0.5 is when I threw the ball to you in the backcourt, and you pass it back to me directly."
Owen tried to explain his mentality. He felt that no matter who was defending him, no matter where he was on the court, he would be misplaced. This is good for the Nets offense.
"Yeah, we will see, let's see," Durant said, and he said to Irving humorously.
This is all kind, but Durant makes a lot of sense. He said that he believes that point guard is always offensive at the basket, which is not good for the continuity of the team's offense.
There is an obvious chemical reaction between Irving and Durant. They are similar people in the way of thinking in the game and the perception of their reputation off the court. They have a connection and they hope to show something special on the court.
Durant has been looking for such a partner throughout his career. This allowed him to play with three superstar point guards, all of whom were full of energy, each in a different way.
In Oklahoma City, there were some moments-extended moments-with Westbrook. He and Durant played beautifully next to each other, not taking turns, but replacing them. The longer they play together, the longer they will no longer play down their differences and never deny the setbacks brought about by their strong-willed approach.
"Sometimes I really want to catch you directly and tell you to cheer up sometimes." Durant said to Westbrook in the MVP speech. "I know sometimes you want to be like me."
grew up into superstars together, and their personal rise can sometimes complicate the team's dynamics. Durant’s easygoing temperament seems to be a good contrast to Westbrook’s relentless stubbornness, but they sometimesThere is a conflict. They all want the same things, but they are not always consistent in how to achieve their goals.
Durant's departure from the Thunder is not clearly related to Westbrook. But if he wants to play with Westbrook, he will always play with Westbrook.
Warriors’ family affection and unity are very attractive to Durant, and it is also a major selling point of his decision to sign with the Warriors. He looked at the Warriors' slogan of "Unity in a City" and saw a group without a hierarchy. There is no such thing as Batman and Robin.
In Stephen Curry, what Durant saw was an inclusive star, a person who could establish an equal relationship with him. But for Durant, there is always an undercurrent of jealousy. Curry is immune to criticism, can shoot freely from 40 feet away, and is adored by the media.
Before signing with the Warriors, Durant complained to his friends privately that the whole world was obsessed with Curry and the Warriors. Durant aspires to be considered the best player in the game. After winning the MVP in 2014, his position closely follows LeBron James. But Durant basically lost a season due to a broken foot in 2015. It coincided with the rise of the Warriors and could only watch Curry eagerly. Z3z
This kind of partnership has never appeared in Curry. There is no hostility or disgust, but there is an indescribable tension that lingers. Durant is an outsider in Curry territory, a mercenary hired to build trophies. At least with Westbrook, Durant had feelings. An ups and downs relationship, but they have established together.
Durant's career is about change. Change broker. Change teams. Replace superstar teammates. The cooperation with Irving is a coordinated action, and the two are eager to play together. They are like-minded offensive giants, scoring masters who can get the ball as they please.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti often says Durant is a true basketball genius. His way of thinking and the way he treats the game are both a craft, and he has been learning, growing and developing. Durant is the most flexible and versatile offensive player of all time. His talent is to score with ruthless efficiency. And in this talent, it is the ability to adapt to any style and any teammate. He will get his 25 to 30 points. And he can get it in 25 to 30 different ways.
Irving and Durant's cooperation may not be so good. There will be images of Durant raising his hands and calling for the ball, and there will be images of Irving sitting idly by during singles. There will be moments of frustration, such as Durant waved for the ball, but Irving played back from the low post.
But this does not mean that everything is wrong. Just like their kind conversation on IG, it just means they are working hard. -- Royce Young (Thunder Reporter)
Three, what will Durant's game be like?
has two statistics summarizing Golden Durant's unprecedented ability as a scorer in the modern NBA.
First item: The 24-year-old Durant in the 2012-13 season hit a 50-40-90 stat. At the same time scoring more than 28 points per game. Only Larry Bird and Stephen Curry have ever accomplished such a feat. In short, KD can not only score, but he is extremely efficient.
Second item: NBA player’s best mid-range shooting season
1. Kevin Durant (2018-19): 52.6 FG%.
2. Dirk Nowitzki (2013-14): 50.4%.
3. Chris Paul (2014-15): 50.4%.
4. Kevin Durant (2015-16): 50.3%.
5. Kevin Durant (2017-18): 50.1%.
*Owned in 57 since the 2013-14 seasonAmong the players who have made 500 two-pointers out of the paint.
Durant's talent is unique. Unlike other top scorers, his shots still include a large number of mid-range shots, and for good reason-he may be the most effective in the forgotten area between the paint and the three-point line since Michael Jordan Scorer. Although this shooting area has fallen out of favor in the era of magic balls, the dogma of "middle distance is long gone" does not apply here.
Just before his injury, Durant had just set the best middle distance scoring efficiency season in the data tracking era. This ability to find and convert his jump shots anytime and anywhere in the playoffs is why he became the Golden State FMVP twice in those finals. He can and will use his shooting ability to play a huge role. He is impossible to guard against. It's that simple.
Even if Durant needs time to recover, he will still be a problem for every opponent. We may not see his long blockade defense, or his unsolvable performance in 2017-2018. The Nets will not need that version of KD before the playoffs.
But in the first few months of the season, pay attention to Durant's performance in the middle distance. In Sunday's preseason debut against the Washington Wizards, KD made 12 shots in 24 minutes. More than half are 2-point jumpers. In the first quarter, Irving threw the ball to his partner on the left wing. Durant turned to face Hachimura, pulled the ball from the top of his head to the left, and fired a 19-foot jumper. With a swish, the basketball hollowed into the net, as he had done for more than a decade.
People hope he can reach 100% in time, because Kevin Durant is an incredible player in a state of going all out. His mid-range jumper is incredibly sweet. --Kirk Goldsberry (a famous data analyst at espn)
