Kevin Durant on avoiding double teams: “I don’t know man, maybe I just gotta get out the way, go sit in the corner, space the floor…. Set some screens.”
….,set some screens, login to getoffmydickerson account and slate my teammates some more,….
Can’t win with these astronauts
this is the look of a man who has realized that the ring chasing didn’t work with this team either
he knew that in like October lol
Yeah fred van vanvleet going down in the off season meant this season was wraps for the rockets anyways. Their* lack* of a point guard is gonna ruin them..
I dunno. Rafael Stone is supposed to be a smart dude, but after FVV went down he didn’t even try to sign a point guard, and the trade deadline passed and still nothing.
CP3 was available. He had a decent season for the Spurs, and played all 82 games. (Top accomplishment was mentoring Castle, and teaching Wemby how to bring the Nasty.) Maybe he didn’t want to go back to Houston because Fertita is an a-hole, but did they even make him an offer? Or maybe KD said that he didn’t want to play with CP?
Heck, Chicago has, what, 8-9 guards in their roster sometime in the deadline. Maybe the Rockets could have worked out something there. Like a Tre Jones or Coby White before he is traded to Charlotte.
Imagine someone that short was saving thier season lol
Chris Paul has entered the chat.
Dude was crucial in winning the chip, so, not that hard to imagine.
Crucial as a bench piece
I told my friends as soon as it was announced it wouldn’t work
should’ve gone to GS lol. As a matter of fact, he should’ve never left.
He would get questions every day about what it’s like to play next to Steph… Again
“Do you look at Steph as a father figure?”
That question was insane, didnt she even say parental figure
Historically stupid question. And it will be a meme forever.
I thought Kevin Durant was the best player at GS at that time similar to Lebron at Miami.
depends on who you ask but more ppl will say it was steph. it was his team and he was drafted there. KD even said he never felt like it was his team they already had a thing going.
Most of the time tho it was double Steph and let KD get his. From my eyes I’m not a statistician
Exactly. Steph’s dominated with his gravity.
Tired of this repeated narrative. Is there any legit source for this?
From a basketball standpoint, it doesn’t even make sense to double either of them, they’re both 40% 3PT shooters and Klay as well, why would you double one and leave any of them open?
Especially considering Steph and Klay are both elite off-ball players, and KD is a 7FT demigod, who came up with the genius game plan to leave one of them open?
Seems like everybody took a shit game plan from Ty Lue, some made up stat from Draymond, and some random YouTube video showing JR Smith (guy who forgot the score in the NBA Finals) making boneheaded plays when defending against Warriors fast breaks and concluded “SeE iTs StEpHs tEaM, hE gOt dOuBlE tEaMEd mOrE”
You can be as tired as you want. I said from my eyes. I watched every game KD played in a warriors uniform. If I’m wrong, oh well.
Every game? Even if it was your birthday? Even if you were getting pussy?
League pass? Game replay? Favorite player all time?
That’s a different thing from being the best player.
Steph was both the best player on the team and also the moat important. But it was clearly a 1A/1B setup and the whole narrative was stupid. KD had it so good on the Warriors but fan and media culture ran him out of town.
It was Steph’s team and KD was the best player.
Miami was the same thing Wade’s team but Bron was the best player.
And yet eventually Bron took that team over and it became his. KD should have stuck around and tried to do the same
Well you gotta be likeable for that to happen soooooo
KD is one of those athletes who let the media and fans get to his head. He left mainly because he wanted to prove he could win a championship without having to play with Curry and the warriors and almost 10 years later it hasn’t happened(yet).
Lol no. It was always Wade’s team, up to the day that LBJ was humiliated by the Spurs, tucked his tail between his legs and went home to Ohio.
Lebron got the numbers, but that’s because Spo set it up that way. DWade was always the team’s leader. Bron is a great player, but he’s never been a great leader.
KD was great at GS because of Steph’s gravity, Draymond’s passing and Kerr’s coaching. You can’t just declare that he was the best player when the way that Warriors team played was set up for him to be the outlet. It was unselfish play for Steph and especially Klay, who was the one that gave up the shots and touches that Durant got.
So no, KD was not the best player on the Warriors. He got the most numbers, because that was the design.
It’s crazy that other star players made sacrifices to bring him in and get hi. 2 FMVPs on silver platter and he still let these chuckfucks get into his head. Horrible decision and KD had to learn the hard way that You don’t leave the Steph ecosystem and expect things to get easier.
I always group Durant and Harden together. Two incredibly gifted basketball players, elite scorers and unique talents. KD was the better defender (when he gave a shit) and the Beard was the better playmaker (elite, really) but a totally unconcerned defender.
Both fatally flawed in a way that made them incapable of leading a team, and both totally mercenary in a way that made them incapable of sacrificing for the good of a team. (So no, KD was never going to become a Spur.)
(I also group Lebron with them, but that’s another story that will very likely get me flamed to a crisp.)
Yeah they obviously sacrificed a lot for him to be the main guy but he delivered on his end. KD and Steph were roughly the same scoring wise in their regular seasons together, but in the playoffs it was clear cut that KD was the best player and idk why there’s this notion that KD only benefits from Steph’s gravity and not vice versa. Like in the finals it was obvious they were worried about Steph’s shooting but KD averaged 35 PPG on like 57% shooting or some shit like that it was absurd he definitely deserved the finals MVP the first time. The second time was more debatable but aye it is what it is.
We watched every minute of the Warriors games in both playoff runs. It was clear that Kerr’s gameplan was to channel the ball to Durant off of Curry actions and Draymond screens because they always resulted in Curry’s man ending up on Durant. Even when the coverage was inverted, Draymond manipulated the pick to get KD a mismatch.
Again, KD is a great player, a scorer with elite efficiency. But at least for his two Warriors seasons, it was because the team was coached and played to give him those opportunities. He never faced a double team. He got a lot of open looks. It doesn’t mean he was the best player on the team.
He hasn’t come even close to winning anything since. That’s a clear indictment of the kind of player he is. He’s closer to Harden than he is to Curry.
KD was a better player than Curry their whole careers until his injury in 2015 and losing a 3-1 lead to him in 2016. 2017-19 he was better, 2020 they were both injured, 2021 KD and Kawhi were the best players in the playoffs but Curry was definitely top 5 that season and played way more games, 2022 is the year Curry definitely eclipsed KD, 2023 Curry was better, 2024 KD, 2025 Curry, 2026 KD.
I think it’s disingenuous to say KD is closer to Harden than Curry when KD is realistically top 15 all time and Curry is top 10 while Harden is more in the 25-20 range.
They looked really good when Steph was injured too. Maybe the offense was relatively poor, but the defense was really killer at the time. And with Durant you always get some amount of really good scoring if you just give him the ball. Overall Durant was playing really well on both ends, just not AS transformative for the actual team of basketball as people keep saying.
They just shifted the plays because Dray was the primary playmaker anyway, and Klay was almost as deadly a threat as Curry.
Again, Durant is an all-time elite scorer, and was a good defensive player in his prime (and when he gave a shit). I’m just pushing back against the idea the he was the best player on those Warriors title teams because of his numbers.
This cannot really be disputed. GSW does have their thing going. They won championships before and after Durant was there.
Durant meanwhile, while exclusively joining one strong team after another, did not win a second playoff round in the 7 years since leaving GSW.
Many people do
And they’re wrong
Possibly but it was never gonna be his team.
Its Steph the amount of gravity Steph is asking for the defense made life so easy for KD. You add Klay to the equation you can’t really double vs that GS team its pray that your PG can guard Steph man to man the whole game.
Can we not have this conversation again? Lebron in Miami and KD in GS are wildly different with regard to their team.
No
Steph is KD’s daddy.
He wouldn’t mind, especially if they be winning.
After almost 20 years… You’d think you’d know KD better
He should’ve just stayed in OKC
If he never left and they kept losing it would look much worse for him. Leaving after failing to win the championship that year was probably wise.
Lmao to be in the play in every year?
Not sure what made him think the Rockets were even on that level.
He should have put pressure on the rockets to sing a pg during the trade deadline after it wasn’t working out
“I don’t know why you gotta ask… I dunno”
KD acts like that’s some kind of unfair trick question. Even elementary school teams have “double their best player when he has the ball” as a tactic. You don’t have to be Eric Spoelstra to think of that.
And he gives that passive aggressive answer because he does not believe in his teammates. At all.
Welcome to life without a high level secondary shot creator or floor spreaders. But he chose to sign with this squad.
Lol
hes gonna be on his phone tweeting tonight lmao on his burner though
I thought you meant while standing in the corner.
Buddy… just throw better passes and have some anticipation. You’re 7 ft
Nah you just don’t know ball like KD bro. He also way better looking than u and hella funny
Face is also so symmetrical
I’m pretty sure neither he nor anyone on this thread knows ball more than KD
Reckon I could’ve managed Brooklyn better than him asking for Deandre Jordan, firing Kenny Atkinson to bring in a coach with zero experience, trade away all depth for another iso scorer which he did again in Phoenix
R U SURE
Yeah, clowning aside that’s true. I know a lot about ball, you probably do too. We’re not nearly on his level and why would we be?
Why you all over his dickerson?
KD:……… nice advise, get off my dick son
He’s been seeing these double teams all season and they still can’t solve it. Hes not gonna become a better passer in year 19 all of a sudden lol
Last season too. Both years at Phoenix he couldn’t deal with it and yet he demands taking the ball out top and setting up the offense. As much ongoing shit as Book has dealt with about the whole ‘cant double-team in an open gym’ meme, he’s become so much more proficient at dealing with double teams.
KD, despite all his advantages (being 7ft), has not. I just don’t think he’s that good a passer. And yeah, honestly there were times on the Suns I think KD should’ve set screens or even sat in the corner for a couple of possessions just to see what kind of looks he might get in a different scenario. (Not as the main game plan, just as a switch up).
He said it was going to be turnovers if he tried passing it to them
It was clear he anticipated the doubles a little too much even.
he aint 7 feet why do people always say this
I mean he’s 6’11”
People say that because (assuming he’s not quite 7ft) he’s extremely tall for a skill/finesse basketball player
It’s like when someone says “you’re always watching basketball”.. it doesn’t mean 24⁄7, it means you watch basketball a lot
Or “It’s so hot in here I’m dying”.. again, you’re not literally dying but just very warm
It’s not exactly an exaggeration or hyperbole but it’s along those lines. I guess a slight exaggeration
Its also because a lot of guys used to lie about their height a little by saying its more than it is while KD did the opposite and said he was shorter so he doesnt get put at C.
So when 2016 olympics came there were a bunch of pictures with a bunch of 6’11 guys on the team like Boogie, DeAndre Jordan and KD was either as tall or taller than them in all the pictures. So people just assumed hes 7’0 for ages
Yeah, good point. The rebound effect on people’s perception of his height. And my best guess is he’s currently 6’11” (not sure about shoes or not but just going by how other players standing beside him are measured) so it’s really quibbling over nothing imo
Yes KD, you do that. Screen for Amen and let him shoot the 3.
Off the dribble. 30 feet away from the basket.
Passive aggressive KD
You could have just said kd
Ok Kd
He wasn’t even passive aggressive in the actual video lol
Yes, KD. Do those things. Stop somebody on defense. Literally anything.
KD was fine on defense. did you watch the game? the offense was nails on a chalk board once the Lakers locked in in the 4th
My Next Chapter loading…
Bro already packing his bags for okc.
He wishes
Ha! Good one.
Going back to seattle after getting bounced in the 2nd round two more times
If the spurs don’t win, I could see him being a good replacement for Fox.
Stop
Isnt fox still the best pg, he still elevates everyone around him and you can count on him for some good buckets in the clutch
If this Steph of the last two months is the real Steph, I’m really tempted to say he’s passed Fox
What an Ime coached offense does to a man
Apart from shooting contested jumper kds other signature move is destroying team morale
“let KD dribble up the court again, he cant turn it over 5 times in a row… oh fuck… maybe 6th time is the charm…”
His burners gonna say “and who am I gonna pass too? Not these bums’
Playmaking continues to be the most underrated aspect of basketball. That’s why it’s always funny when you see casuals rate players based on their “bags” and aesthetics as if it’s a 1 on 1 game
Not even crazy playmaking. Just being able to make consistent simple passes and reads on doubles is enough.
Look at shai, he doesn’t throw any special passes, but almost never turns the ball over and uses his gravity to get asissts. Even when he doesnt get assists he sees double coming while he anticipates and passes it hella early.
The best example of this would have to be Derrick White. He is just a winning player, yet doesn’t do anything fancy so he barely gets spoken of amongst casuals. Playmaking separates the best from the rest
can’t win with these cats man
I really did hear that in KD’s voice 😅
Who is the rockets offensive coordinator/coach?
Whoever they are, it seems like the strat was solely based on having Steven Adams…
“He’ll screen to get you free. Then you can just throw it up there, and he’ll get the rebound if you miss. Just do that over and over again until it works. I dunno what else you guys want!”
the crazy part is it kinda worked
dont have one. just ime and his yes men
I was saying that Ime really is a celtics merchant at this point. Hes wildly overrated because of that season when IMO he can never really be a championship level head coach unless its the Celtics because apparently all players and coaches turn to championship material there.
Hes kinda like Thibs, a great defensive coach, bad offensive coach that can be okay as a head coach, but would be MUCH more valuable as an assistant whose responisibility is defense.
not even a great defensive coach. roster full of plus defenders and he blames alpi for everything on defense. sengun is an average defender, but ime thinks hes draymond green and is supposed to stay in front of all 5 positions. a great defensive coach wouldnt let his center who creates 75% of the offense get hunted every possession. even with sengun out he cant find a way to hide one (1) bad defender in reed sheppard despite having constructed the roster to be full of good defenders (at the cost of having no self creation).
A bum
Idk but it may be Royal Ivey, one of KDs closest friends while in the league.
The only offence they are coaching is how to start fights
we dont even do that anymore
Dude has to have the most negative aura ever. Funny tweets but everywhere he goes after OKC has scuffed energy
don’t throw the dubs alongside those other guys lol.
Exactly, look how open Durant was his entire time playing with the warriors.
The whole team scheming to stop Steph and Durant was just left to beat the 1 on 1 coverage.
Bro is so soft
Like a cupcake.
Cavs should have doubled him instead of Steph on those finals
Then they’d just get cooked by Steph
Steph would’ve averaged 60.
Absolutely. I’ve never seen anyone as desperately defended as Steph in the Finals. Even with KD being “1A”, no team that ever faced an iteration of the Warriors in the Finals was gonna use a strategy that’d lead to Steph getting hot and finding looks.
Like Boston playing drop coverage vs Steph in 2022?
Kerr can coach an NBA offense so it wouldnt work
Someone said it in the PGT.
Have Amen or Reed bring the ball up and get others to set off ball screens for KD to curl or cut to the basket.
Unironically its what the lakers do best, look at how many times luka or AR are off the ball come around the screen into open space and get a free pass from somone else.
He was about to say “you gotta ask Ime” and stopped himself. Lmao. Ime is such a bum
Ooof
He should’ve done exactly this rather than hold the gawd damn ball for majority of the clock. Like you could get a good shot from the FT or baseline… but no you wanted the ball in your hands up top when everything was working with all the cuts and drives to the rim.
It’s easy watching your teammate get doubled those 3 years but not so easy dealing with them
KD been shitting himself since he left GS. Has he been to a conference final since 2019? Dude goes to teams and leaves them in shambles.
Those teams are stupid for getting him
Don’t blow up your whole core just to get an aging star
Man I was originally hyped to have KD but it kinda blows having him. Not only did our offense basically stay the same, but is presence and the way he plays makes everyone around him look worse.
Like now I understand why Warriors fans were always salty when people were shitting on Steph and saying KD was better for those years. KD’s scoring makes him look like the bus driver but his teammates are always actually steering from the back
It’s the way both handled it affected the treatment he gets from GSW fans.
Steph was a 2x MVP 1x champ and took a step back to implement KD into their offense and never complained on twitter about having to change his approach.
KD leaves OKC because he wanted more ball movement which GSW had and once he went to Brooklyn complained that there was too much ball movement which didn’t allow him to maximise his strengths as an iso scorer
When you complain about the very thing you wanted in the first place (ball movement) your going to rub fan bases the wrong way
Steering from the back sounds crazy
What team do we think he’s gonna be on next? Because he gone
Probably run to Dallas with his friend Kyrie
Bro can’t handle not being on a super team
Dude is gonna take the hardest road and go back to OKC next season.
The dramatics.
He 10000% wanted the spurs to trade for him.
Houston we got a problem 😅
KD to the Kings next season. Him and Westbrook win their first chip
Whether he admits it or not, the Warriors were and still are his best option for his career. He already blew it up when he joined the Warriors. Might as well embrace the villain role.
Oh wow it’s not as easy as when you’re playing with Steph curry and other guys who can score… huh?
Nice to be on a team where the opposing team sends the double to the other guy. That way you have a chance at getting a finals mvp. (:
I read somewhere that Segun has been struggling all season and is not the same player from the prior season. Reminds a lot of the Lakers honestly. Reaves struggled for large portions of the season alongside Lebron to the point they could never beat a 500+ team. Now Lebron has fully committed to being the third wheel and the Lakers are thriving Reaves included.
Rockets need to do the same. Offense needs to run through Segun and Sheppard since it seems like he’s the only guard on the team. KD needs to be that third wheel and let the offense naturally get to him. Trust me bro the Rockets will see significant improvements from this.
Reaves wasn’t struggling for large portions because of LeBron. He was struggling because he was coming off injury and seemed hesitant to create contact after his calf issue.
Saying the offense needs to run thru your 2nd year point guard and sengun is insane lmao. The offense can still be run thru kd but in different ways like off ball screens and movement. He should still be the #1 or #2 option but they need a better coach to get him the ball in creative ways.
They don’t need Reed Sheppard to be a 2nd option lol. Sengun gets the ball a lot as well and has the offense ran thru him. They simply need a point guard to be able to get kd the ball more effectively.
you’re 7ft pretend you’re jokic or some shit
Watching KD fail consistently year after year after only winning because he made the ultimate bitch move really has been fun.
So, play offense instead of just standing there? Fucking brilliant, kevin…
Immaculate goatee
Having a capable secondary playmaker would help a lot lol
He was never a conducive playmaker.
Rockets losing an actual PG Hurt this team big time.
KD is at his worst as a primary ball handler, such a poor way to utilize him.
KD is washed. Been washed for years. Team hoppin’ ain’t going to get him another chip.
washed for years 😂😂😂
I know I shouldn’t expect more from the casuals in here but the vultures come out crazy whenever the rockets lose.
KD is going to be an all nba player and comments calling him washed for years is getting upvoted.
Or watch what Luka does.
This is what happens when your team is forced to play at least two players who are not threats to space the floor.
Those clothes make it look like he put on weight
What does blud mean by this
Nga almost threw the coach under the bus 😂😂
If only he got on the right side of Draymond, he could get illegal screens set up for him too…
what? avoid double teams? one of the reasons they pay him that much is because of the double teams.
it’s like he phrased it that way to bait or for him not to be angry. smh.
The burner flames 🔥 out.
He could’ve been great setting screens to be honest
Not a bus driver…
KD to Portland soon so he can play with another elite PG from his era. Already played with Russ, Curry, Kyrie, and CP3, Dame is next.
When KD was with the warriors, they can’t send a double coz if they do, steph and klay will be open, even draymond for a time. Now, what does he do if he’s being doubled? Pass it to jabari and amen? Lol
Never his fault…
The vibes are (once again) TERRIBLE
They need to sign Mac McClung on a two way at this point.
The GOAT(ee)
Rockets have some of the worst spacing in the league amer is unplayable come playoff time
…“go sit in the corner”…
Steph Curry enters the chat