San Antonio Spurs: 5 Keys To Beating The Thunder

1. Kawhi vs. KD

In what might be the most exhilarating one-on-one matchup in the entire 2016 NBA Playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs are the rare breed that can say they might have a player capable of besting Kevin-Freaking-Durant.

Though he wasn’t particularly high on most people’s MVP radars, Kevin Durant still put up 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 blocks per game on .505/.386/.900 shooting splits this season. Those are elite numbers, and they’re the kind of numbers that could elevate to legendary levels without the proper attention on the defensive end.

Given the way he’s performed so far in the playoffs and how Kawhi Leonard has been able to bother him defensively recently, however, the Spurs should feel somewhat comfortable with their ability to prevent that from happening. 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, those points 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, it’s fair to say that the Spurs have a legitimate Kevin Durant stopper.

The worrisome part for the Thunder 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.

More hoops habit: Oklahoma City Thunder: 5 Keys To Beating The Spurs

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.