Golden State Warriors: 5 Early Season Takeaways
3. Kevin Durant Is Comfortable
The Golden State Warriors were a well-oiled machine last year. Though that machine broke down in the Finals due to Green’s suspension, Andrew Bogut‘s injury, Stephen Curry’s inconsistency after his knee injury, and the indomitable will of LeBron James, it was still a machine that was more than capable of destroying opponents en route to another championship.
By adding Kevin Durant to that mix, there were questions about fit and role. Would the 2014 MVP make the Warriors his own? Would his Iso-heavy style clash with an offense that relied on smart passing and movement to put up huge numbers? Or would he simply be reduced to a Harrison Barnes-type role, albeit as a more efficient version of the team’s former small-ball 4?
There has been a learning curve for everyone, but so far, the player who’s looked the most comfortable is the new arrival, Kevin Durant.
Through 14 games, KD is averaging a team-leading 26.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting an insanely efficient 56.2 percent from the field, 42 percent from long range and 84.2 percent from the foul line.
In fact, during Golden State’s rocky 4-2 start, his immediate level of comfort was one of the few silver linings. He didn’t look timid. He wasn’t worrying about stepping on other people’s toes. He was an absolute nightmare on both ends of the floor.
He dropped a 30-17-6-2-2 in the team’s first win of the season. He led the Dubs to a come-from-behind win against the Suns with a 37-4-4-4 stat line. He scored a season-high 39 against his former team in OKC’s visit to the Bay, posted a 30-9-6 in Golden State’s biggest win of the season in Toronto, and has topped the 30-point threshold five times already.
That may not seem like much for the four-time scoring champ, but on a team that has top-15 talents like Curry, Klay and Draymond, Durant’s assertiveness and instant ability to perform at such a high level speaks to how dangerous the Warriors will be when they truly jell and find their peak.