Hoops Habit
Fansided

OKC Thunder: 5 Keys To Beating The Spurs

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 12, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles the ball as San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) dribbles the ball as San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
Oklahoma City Thunder
Oct 28, 2015; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives to the basket against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during the third quarter at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

2. KD vs. Kawhi

What a remarkable comeback season it’s been for Kevin Durant. Though he wasn’t particularly high on most people’s MVP radars, KD still put up 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 blocks per game on .505/.386/.900 shooting splits.

Given the way he’s performed so far in the playoffs and how Kawhi Leonard has been able to bother him defensively recently, the Thunder need Durant to win his individual matchup. If Leonard is able to limit KD in the slightest, the Spurs will have a definitive upper hand (or, in this case, upper claw).

In five games against Dallas, Durant struggled with his shooting. Though he still averaged 26.0 points per game, they came on abysmal .368/.268/.850 shooting splits, including a 7-for-33 performance in OKC’s Game 2 loss at home.

In the two games against the Spurs where Kawhi Leonard played this season, Durant averaged 25.0 points per game on 17-of-44 shooting (38.6 percent) and made just two of his 11 three-point attempts.

So yes, pitting OKC’s most important scorer against the two-time Defensive Player of the Year is a cause for concern for the Thunder.

The worrisome part is that Durant won’t be able to take a break on the defensive end either. Andre Roberson is a great defender, but he might not be strong or tall enough to take on Leonard’s all-encompassing wing span. Durant isn’t strong, but he’s so lanky that he’ll more than likely draw the majority of this defensive assignment.

That could be problematic considering the impressive numbers Leonard put up in the first round, averaging 21.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 2.8 blocks per game on .527/.611/.944 shooting splits…in a series where he was hardly needed. That doesn’t bode well for OKC, even in the wake of Kawhi’s underwhelming first round performance last year.

Kevin Durant vs. Kawhi Leonard is obviously the marquee one-on-one matchup of this series. Leonard has bothered KD on the defensive end this year and Durant is coming off a lackluster first round series. Whoever gains the edge — if anyone does gain an advantage — could decide the outcome.

Next: No. 1

Home/Oklahoma City Thunder