Warriors’ Kevin Durant looks to break out of shooting slump
By
Connor Letourneau
June 2, 2018 Updated: June 2, 2018 7:30pm
Photo: Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle
Kevin Durant (35) after winning Game 1 of the The NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Oakland, California, on Thursday, May 31, 2018.
If Warriors forward Kevin Durant takes 15 shots on a given night, he tries to make sure at least 13 of them are no-brainer, wide-open looks. The other two are what he calls "heat checks" — gutsy shots like contested three-pointers or off-kilter, fade-away jumpers that test the limits of his improvisation.
While reviewing video from Thursday night’s overtime win over the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Durant was disappointed in his shot selection. The ratio of no-brainer looks to "heat checks" was completely out of whack.
"I didn't take smart shots," said Durant, who finished 8-for-22 from the field, including 1-for-7 from three-point range. "I took risky looks. I took some shots that I know I can hit, but I'd rather get better shots than that."
That Durant — arguably the most efficient scorer in NBA history — is missing shots at an alarming rate has been one of the more curious developments in Golden State’s latest championship push. In four of his past five games, he has failed to shoot at least 38 percent from the field. Outside of Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, when his late heroics helped lift the Warriors to victory over Houston, Durant has shot 1-for-13 in the fourth quarter since May 22.
In Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, he seemingly let his shooting slump spill into other aspects of his performance.
Durant, the primary defender on LeBron James with Andre Iguodala sidelined by a bone bruise in his left knee, offered minimal resistance as James rang up 51 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Before Cleveland guard J.R. Smith carved out a spot in Finals infamy by forgetting that the game was tied late in regulation, Durant was in line to shoulder the blame because he hadn’t used his size advantage over the 6-foot-6 Smith to corral the defensive rebound and set up a possible game-winner.
"We're all victims of our expectations that we've set," Stephen Curry said of Durant, who still managed an impressive Game 1 stat line: 26 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three blocks, one steal and only one turnover. "I mean, the fact that they're saying K.D. had a bad game is kind of funny, just with what you expect from him every single night."
By most measures, Durant has done his part this postseason. He ranks first on the team in points per game (28.8), and second in rebounding (7.2) and blocks (1.1). When Curry missed the entire first round and Game 1 of the conference semifinals with a knee injury, Durant assumed more playmaking duties, delivered a steady stream of highlights and shepherded the Warriors to a 5-1 record.
But in the West finals against the Rockets, when Golden State’s movement-heavy system repeatedly gave way to Durant in isolation situations, a steady drumbeat of questions began rat-a-tat-tatting on social media: Why was Durant — long known as one of the league’s most selfless All-Stars — suddenly not getting his shots in the flow of the offense? With Curry out for so long, had Durant forgotten that No. 30, not No. 35, is the face of the franchise?
Last year, when he dominated the playoffs and took home NBA Finals MVP honors, Durant totaled 37 isolation possessions in the postseason. With at least three more games left in these playoffs, he has already had 128.
The concerns over Durant’s style of play heightened in Game 5 of the West finals, when TNT aired a conversation in which Steve Kerr shared a story about Michael Jordan before telling Durant to "trust your teammates early." Within hours, video of that interaction rippled through the blogosphere, dredging up a familiar narrative.
A friendly moment between coach and player had been distilled to the notion that Durant could no longer co-exist with Curry. Still, Kerr’s message got its intended result: Durant started to look for his teammates earlier in the shot clock as Golden State slowly returned to its pass-happy ways.
Now, with Curry back to his signature dribbling displays and 30-foot jumpers, Durant is trying to move past a forgettable Game 1 performance. Like many elite scorers, he is more likely to play solid defense and box out if his shots are falling.
This is a player who studies shot charts after each game. With efficiency — not gaudy point totals — serving as his chief focus, Durant has built a reputation as the most shot-conscious volume shooter in NBA history.
His true shooting percentage, an advanced stat that considers all types of shots, ranks No. 1 among the 16 multi-time scoring champions. If he stays healthy and makes the most of his touches, Durant could have an outside chance at eclipsing 38,387 career points, the current record, held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
"He's an unbelievable talent and safety valve anytime we need him to get a bucket," Kerr said. "He's focused. He knows he didn't play very well in Game 1. He's excited for Game 2."