I'm actually more impressed that they were able to hold San Antonio to 76 with Durant, than without him. When I first saw the score, I figured he was still hurt or there was no way they were capable of playing that type of defense. Then I checked to see if San Antonio was coming off a back-to-back.
Kevin's more SF this year and as far as I can see, he's about average in steals and a little above average in blocks. Numberswise, it wouldn't be fair to call him a poor defender at all. Defense (like Speights) is obviously not his long suit, but he's not exactly a sieve who'll hurt your team dee all game long either.
Also, I think the other big point was that Sixers should've been more desperate for the win. The 2nd place Spurs w/o Ginobili are a very vulnerable team unless Parker and/or Duncan really go off. They've been muscling thru for a while now, but at the end of the day, even with G-unit installed, they're going to have their hands full in the playoffs with either Utah or NO. It hardly matters which, so excuse em if they got trapped in a supposebly gimmie game.
Anyway, you're supposed to win at home. The fact that OKC squeeeaked past the Spurs at home is not an indication of too much. Even the four home game winning streak, if it's not followed up with a few road wins (just prior to this game, they lost to denver and phoenix on the road).
If you supposebly have the superior firepower and the greater hunger, you're supposed to beat up on a severely crippled team. Killer instinct. Ask coach Jackson. The Sixers way lacked it a few nights ago and allowed the weak pup to snatch the meat out of their slobbering jaws.
There's no salving the sting of that OKC loss but with renewed strong play going forward. So far, so good...
I don't think you can rely on blocks and steals to quantify a player's defense. You have to look at how the team performs with him on the floor, against when he's on the bench. By that measure, Durant is one of the worst defenders in the league.
Heh! Well, in the same way, you can't put all your stock in plus-minus stats either since they're just as much about the effectiveness of the entire team than the individual in question. Kevin is on a bad team. All it really says, if you ask me, is that OKC's starting lineup is generally worse against their opponents than their bench squad is against their respective opponents.
p.s. also, if you scroll up to the middle of that same page you provide, you'll see 'Player 48-Minute Production by Position' and 'Opponent Counterpart 48-Minute Production' and 'Net 48-Minute Production by Position.'
If you compare his production as a SF vs his opponents, I think that says it all.
p.s. all that said, with sefolosha in the mix, they're going to be stifling teams a lot better than they used to. they're up an comers. next season, okc may be the poor man's blazers.
Wins like that won't be such a surprise now that OKC has bought into Coach Brooks' system. GM Sam Presti started in the Spurs organization and learned how to find players like Thabo.
The real question is -- the failed trade for Tyson Chandler seems to have helped both clubs -- how good would the Thunder be with him in the middle?
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Of course - the whole debate was that Durant and Green weren't playing and Durant did play last night.
As well as Green albeit in a terrible shooting effort. The won the game at the line (10 more made)
Didn't look at the box score - knew Durant was playing cause I saw the highlights (and he's on my fantasy team) :)
I still thought people were under estimating the Thunder during that game anyway - and I expect the sixers probably did too.
Plus sixers - not so much the good road team.
I'm actually more impressed that they were able to hold San Antonio to 76 with Durant, than without him. When I first saw the score, I figured he was still hurt or there was no way they were capable of playing that type of defense. Then I checked to see if San Antonio was coming off a back-to-back.
Kevin's more SF this year and as far as I can see, he's about average in steals and a little above average in blocks. Numberswise, it wouldn't be fair to call him a poor defender at all. Defense (like Speights) is obviously not his long suit, but he's not exactly a sieve who'll hurt your team dee all game long either.
Also, I think the other big point was that Sixers should've been more desperate for the win. The 2nd place Spurs w/o Ginobili are a very vulnerable team unless Parker and/or Duncan really go off. They've been muscling thru for a while now, but at the end of the day, even with G-unit installed, they're going to have their hands full in the playoffs with either Utah or NO. It hardly matters which, so excuse em if they got trapped in a supposebly gimmie game.
Anyway, you're supposed to win at home. The fact that OKC squeeeaked past the Spurs at home is not an indication of too much. Even the four home game winning streak, if it's not followed up with a few road wins (just prior to this game, they lost to denver and phoenix on the road).
If you supposebly have the superior firepower and the greater hunger, you're supposed to beat up on a severely crippled team. Killer instinct. Ask coach Jackson. The Sixers way lacked it a few nights ago and allowed the weak pup to snatch the meat out of their slobbering jaws.
There's no salving the sting of that OKC loss but with renewed strong play going forward. So far, so good...
I don't think you can rely on blocks and steals to quantify a player's defense. You have to look at how the team performs with him on the floor, against when he's on the bench. By that measure, Durant is one of the worst defenders in the league.
Heh! Well, in the same way, you can't put all your stock in plus-minus stats either since they're just as much about the effectiveness of the entire team than the individual in question. Kevin is on a bad team. All it really says, if you ask me, is that OKC's starting lineup is generally worse against their opponents than their bench squad is against their respective opponents.
p.s. also, if you scroll up to the middle of that same page you provide, you'll see 'Player 48-Minute Production by Position' and 'Opponent Counterpart 48-Minute Production' and 'Net 48-Minute Production by Position.'
If you compare his production as a SF vs his opponents, I think that says it all.
p.s. all that said, with sefolosha in the mix, they're going to be stifling teams a lot better than they used to. they're up an comers. next season, okc may be the poor man's blazers.
Wins like that won't be such a surprise now that OKC has bought into Coach Brooks' system. GM Sam Presti started in the Spurs organization and learned how to find players like Thabo.
The real question is -- the failed trade for Tyson Chandler seems to have helped both clubs -- how good would the Thunder be with him in the middle?