Kevin Durant Longhorn Legend

[statsman 5504]

Things to like about KD: dedicated to the game, gives (a lot) to the community, works hard at his craft, selfless player, kind to support staff, believes there is a right way to play and tries to play that way, overcame severe injuries (one received while playing hurt in the playoffs), loves UT, played at Rucker Park one crazy night, single handedly kept USA from collapsing in 2021 Olympics

Things to not like about KD: pissed off Russ Westbrook, pissed off OKC, pissed off LeBron fanboys

I guess I find him likable enough

Edited May 24, 2022 by statsman

[Braff Zacklin 13672]

3 hours ago, George Clooney said:

Eh most gen z/millennial fans have gone from hating him when he left for GS to generally liking him now. I’d assume most gen x/boomers don’t really like him.

Well, Syriana is one of my favorite movies and I'm that one guy who actually liked Soderbergh's remake of Solaris so ... I like you?

[SilasCoade 2622]

4 hours ago, statsman said:

Things to like about KD: dedicated to the game, gives (a lot) to the community, works hard at his craft, selfless player, kind to support staff, believes there is a right way to play and tries to play that way, overcame severe injuries (one received while playing hurt in the playoffs), loves UT, played at Rucker Park one crazy night, single handedly kept USA from collapsing in 2021 Olympics

Also things to like about KD: pissed off Russ Westbrook, pissed off OKC, pissed off LeBron fanboys

I guess I find him likable enough

FIFY

[Baboontyme 2839]

Check out the Letterman KD interview on Netflix. Interesting stuff. Watched it last night.

Also I think the best word to describe KD is surly. Legitimately. He's a surly mfer. 

[shadow_operative 15932]

he's also high right now.

[Baboontyme 2839]

Being high is supposed to make you less surly. 

[Serak The Preparer 3436]

On 5/23/2022 at 5:55 PM, statsman said:

Things to like about KD: dedicated to the game, gives (a lot) to the community, works hard at his craft, selfless player, kind to support staff, believes there is a right way to play and tries to play that way, overcame severe injuries (one received while playing hurt in the playoffs), loves UT, played at Rucker Park one crazy night, single handedly kept USA from collapsing in 2021 Olympics

Things to not like about KD: pissed off Russ Westbrook, pissed off OKC, pissed off LeBron fanboys

I guess I find him likable enough

On your list of things not to like you left off: acts like an insecure petulant bitch a lot of the time and fled to super-team (that had just beat his team) rather than try to build someting.

I'm not out to convince anyone not to like Durant. I don't hate him, I'm just ambivalent about him. But it's also silly not to acknowledge actual reasons people aren't Durant fans. And to be clear, none of this has to do with his actual talent, which is absurd. 

[statsman 5504]

Petulant? Compared to what? Was he more or less petulant than Russ, who started grudging against him for leaving?

Is it the social media? Do you really think that means anything? Do you know what real misbehavior is?

Ray Lewis is a great LB and leader, who was at the minimum an accessory to murder. 
Kareem had several people murdered in his home and to this day has resisted cooperating with the investigation. 
Kobe is a beloved player who forced himself on a girl. 
 

This all shows how professional the current NBA is- people think some modern players are bad guys because of mean texts and tweets, as if that was any kind of real misbehavior. (Psst- keep it secret, but LeBron is actually a pretty decent guy, too, even despite the memes)

Edited May 25, 2022 by statsman

[shadow_operative 15932]

7 hours ago, Serak The Preparer said:

On your list of things not to like you left off: acts like an insecure petulant bitch a lot of the time and fled to super-team (that had just beat his team) rather than try to build someting.

 

and what would you call the nine years KD spent in SEA/OKC trying to build a title winning team despite having to play with the most selfish player of all time? 

Edited May 25, 2022 by shadow_operative

[TonyTexas 10571]

13 hours ago, statsman said:

Kareem had several people murdered in his home

Either you have a scoop or need to rethink your phrasing. 
 

Also, as a Rockets fan, this is music to my ears

 

[SilasCoade 2622]

28 minutes ago, TonyTexas said:

Either you have a scoop or need to rethink your phrasing. 

Top google result is a Breitbart screed taking Cap to task for speaking out against the Charlie Hebdo attack. Smacks of "but her emails" to me.

Actual story: https://www.nytimes.com/1973/08/16/archives/seven-are-indicted-in-muslim-slayings-at-home-in-capitalal.html

Edited May 25, 2022 by Llogg

[statsman 5504]

Oops. I’m sorry. Jabbar had a house, and a family was killed in it. Kareem was friends with the victims, members of a non violent sect. Jabber’s only culpability was a lack of cooperation with the police (which may have been due to fear of being the next victim, reasonably). My point is not that Kareem is a bad guy; it’s more that if you think KD is a bad guy because of social media, you have really lost focus. 
 
I probably should have used Kermit Washington as an example instead (bilking players out of money and laundering it through a charity). 

[Serak The Preparer 3436]

32 minutes ago, statsman said:

Oops. I’m sorry. Jabbar had a house, and a family was killed in it. Kareem was friends with the victims, members of a non violent sect. Jabber’s only culpability was a lack of cooperation with the police (which may have been due to fear of being the next victim, reasonably). My point is not that Kareem is a bad guy; it’s more that if you think KD is a bad guy because of social media, you have really lost focus. 
 
I probably should have used Kermit Washington as an example instead (bilking players out of money and laundering it through a charity). 

This would all be super relevant if people said Durant was a bad guy.

[Vic Mackey 47310]

[shadow_operative 15932]

the old days:

 

[Serak The Preparer 3436]

@statsman after further seeing your posts in the Uvalde theads I am pretty impressed. In this thread and that you are arguing for things that nobody is arguing against while arguing against things nobody is arguing for. I can't go so far as to say you have it all figured out but you sure have a lot figured out.

[SilasCoade 2622]

1 hour ago, Serak The Preparer said:

@statsman after further seeing your posts in the Uvalde theads I am pretty impressed. In this thread and that you are arguing for things that nobody is arguing against while arguing against things nobody is arguing for. I can't go so far as to say you have it all figured out but you sure have a lot figured out.

don't bring that shit in here, man.

[Chewbacca 7793]

Suns fans think they are trading Ayton for KD. Someone needs to mushroom stamp those people. Ain't happening.

[shadow_operative 15932]

Nick Young on KD vs Steph, and playing KD 1-on-1 after practice:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CeSFTnHpJ6Z/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

 

Edited June 2, 2022 by shadow_operative

[shadow_operative 15932]

here's a stat for all of those clowns who create those memes that Vic always shares about how great the Warriors are without KD:

During the Kerr/Steph/Klay/Draymond Golden State era, the Warriors are 8-11 in Finals games without Durant. 

 

 

Edited June 3, 2022 by shadow_operative

[ztejas 43746]

Nah they don't need him. Just ask @aggie08

[shadow_operative 15932]

if the C's win this series then the "dynastic" Warriors will be 1-3 in the Finals without KD.

[ztejas 43746]

This Finals has nothing to do with KD outside of comparing him to Steph all-time. If Steph shows out and wins the title this year I'm plenty comfortable with placing him over Durant on the all-time list.

That said - if GS loses this it's sort of a knock on Steph. I just don't think Durant's legacy should be diminished or elevated based on what happens between these teams. No one this season is playing the 2016 Thunder, 2016 Warriors, 2016 Cavs, 2017 Warriors/Cavs, 2018 Rockets...

I mean the standard for how good you need to be to make the Finals let alone win it just isn't the same. That 2016 OKC team wins the title this season 8 times out of 10. 

But, you know, NBA fans don't really think critically about anything. 

Edited June 3, 2022 by ztejas

[aggie08 21587]

2 hours ago, ztejas said:

Nah they don't need him. Just ask @aggie08

Where have I EVER said that Golden State didn't need KD to go to 5 straight Finals and win back-to-back titles? They absolutely did. They're not a dynasty without KD. All I've said is that, without KD, a healthy Golden State was (and is) perennially going to be among the 2 or 3 teams with realistic championship aspirations. Oh, and that it was always Steph's team. Pretty sure they've proven those things beyond dispute. And, if you put yourself there year after year, you stand a good chance to win one or two of them. However, with KD, they were unbeatable and one of the best teams ever. That's a HUGE difference, and I've never stated otherwise.

So stop being such a fucking low effort troll.

KD is 1-4 in the a Finals and 10-14 in the Conference Finals without Steph. Care to venture a guess what Golden State's record in the Conference Finals is without KD (hint: 16-5)...

...see how lazy, obnoxious, and misleading that is? Is the conclusion to be made that KD needed Golden State way more than the reverse...or, is getting to--and then winning--the Finals just really, really fucking difficult, and it takes a bit of luck? A losing record against the best players and teams on the planet isn't really something to be ashamed of. Everyone can't be MJ.

Edited June 4, 2022 by aggie08

[Pam Cummings 9700]

One day i'm sure there will be a book about how it all went down in GS. I thought it was a mistake for KD to join that team. But i don't understand being mad at him and not the Warriors. That was a weak ass move on their part too.

[aggie08 21587]

15 minutes ago, Pam Cummings said:

One day i'm sure there will be a book about how it all went down in GS. I thought it was a mistake for KD to join that team. But i don't understand being mad at him and not the Warriors. That was a weak ass move on their part too.

Any team with cap space that doesn't at least try to acquire the second best basketball player on the planet when he's available should be disbanded and their GM shot into the sun.

[Pam Cummings 9700]

13 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

Any team with cap space that doesn't at least try to acquire the second best basketball player on the planet when he's available should be disbanded and their GM shot into the sun.

I get it. But it's still weak. I wonder if that would have been allowed to happen in David Stern's NBA.

[ztejas 43746]

52 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

Where have I EVER said that Golden State didn't need KD to go to 5 straight Finals and win back-to-back titles? They absolutely did. They're not a dynasty without KD. All I've said is that, without KD, a healthy Golden State was (and is) perennially going to be among the 2 or 3 teams with realistic championship aspirations. Oh, and that it was always Steph's team. Pretty sure they've proven those things beyond dispute. And, if you put yourself there year after year, you stand a good chance to win one or two of them. However, with KD, they were unbeatable and one of the best teams ever. That's a HUGE difference, and I've never stated otherwise.

So stop being such a fucking low effort troll.

KD is 1-4 in the a Finals and 10-14 in the Conference Finals without Steph. Care to venture a guess what Golden State's record in the Conference Finals is without KD (hint: 16-5)...

...see how lazy, obnoxious, and misleading that is? Is the conclusion to be made that KD needed Golden State way more than the reverse...or, is getting to--and then winning--the Finals just really, really fucking difficult, and it takes a bit of luck? A losing record against the best players and teams on the planet isn't really something to be ashamed of. Everyone can't be MJ.

Jesus dude be less aggy. 

[shadow_operative 15932]

KD had nowhere to go other than Golden State or San Antonio. either one he went to was going to be considered a/the title favorite. people being mad at him leaving OKC after nine fruitless years (with his entire legacy on the line are) are dumb. 

[aggie08 21587]

5 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Jesus dude be less aggy. 

Says a dude who annually quits a thread because people don't give him the proper amount of reverence and respect that he thinks he deserves.

[ztejas 43746]

9 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

Says a dude who annually quits a thread because people don't give him the proper amount of reverence and respect that he thinks he deserves.

Yeah that's more in line with where I actually went to school. Sick burn. 

[aggie08 21587]

19 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Yeah that's more in line with where I actually went to school. Sick burn. 

Wut?

Hey man, you're the one who keeps finding it necessary to randomly and incorrectly call me out. Guess what: the NBA thread is moving along just fine--arguably better--without you. Because you don't matter. I don't matter. Derka doesn't even matter (sorry Derka). It's an online basketball message board. No need to take it so seriously.

[shadow_operative 15932]

9 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

Wut?

Hey man, you're the one who keeps finding it necessary to randomly and incorrectly call me out. Guess what: the NBA thread is moving along just fine--arguably better--without you. Because you don't matter. I don't matter. Derka doesn't even matter (sorry Derka). It's an online basketball message board. No need to take it so seriously.

[cmontexas 3306]

ESPN or somebody is gonna pay him about 500 million dollars to be their version of Chuck once he finally hangs up his sneakers

[ztejas 43746]

1 hour ago, aggie08 said:

Wut?

Hey man, you're the one who keeps finding it necessary to randomly and incorrectly call me out. Guess what: the NBA thread is moving along just fine--arguably better--without you. Because you don't matter. I don't matter. Derka doesn't even matter (sorry Derka). It's an online basketball message board. No need to take it so seriously.

Yes this is all about me. Keep it coming. 

[ztejas 43746]

2 hours ago, aggie08 said:

Wut?

Hey man, you're the one who keeps finding it necessary to randomly and incorrectly call me out. Guess what: the NBA thread is moving along just fine--arguably better--without you. Because you don't matter. I don't matter. Derka doesn't even matter (sorry Derka). It's an online basketball message board. No need to take it so seriously.

I like this track what do you think. 

 

[tx 3 putt 77934]

On 4/26/2022 at 6:34 PM, naija said:

he would be getting killed on here if he wasn't a Longhorn

 

1000000% true

[UTDD 362]

On 6/3/2022 at 6:49 PM, ztejas said:

This Finals has nothing to do with KD outside of comparing him to Steph all-time. If Steph shows out and wins the title this year I'm plenty comfortable with placing him over Durant on the all-time list.

That said - if GS loses this it's sort of a knock on Steph. I just don't think Durant's legacy should be diminished or elevated based on what happens between these teams. No one this season is playing the 2016 Thunder, 2016 Warriors, 2016 Cavs, 2017 Warriors/Cavs, 2018 Rockets...

I mean the standard for how good you need to be to make the Finals let alone win it just isn't the same. That 2016 OKC team wins the title this season 8 times out of 10. 

But, you know, NBA fans don't really think critically about anything. 

Pretty much agree with this mostly -- I think it's very fair and rational considering it's always hard (I feel like it is for me anyway) to judge a Longhorn against others.  I don't consider anything the Warriors do as down against Durant, the circumstances are always different each year.  I also don't agree with the idea floated by some that any good wing player that could score could simply replace KD in 2017 and beat the 2017 Cavs, that was actually a really good team.  2018...ok.    

The 2017 Warriors were one of the greatest - if not the greatest - teams of all-time, but to be honest, I was more impressed with Durant against the Bucks than anything from 2017.  He was carrying that team with more than one magnificent performance in a much tougher situation than 2017 coming back from injury too.  I have no doubt that version of KD could win titles with a lot of different situations/rosters.  2014 KD too.     

And I think if Steph won a title and FMVP, I'd start to consider him above Durant in an ATG list too but only because Steph has moved up, not Durant going down.     

[LTtxfan 49405]

 

[Vic Mackey 47310]

[Brian Fantana 6708]

KD at home seething about all the people that called him a ring chaser being right.

 

[Aqua Buddha 14654]

I'll say it.

Don't count out him going back to OKC to finish his career if he could win their first title there.  

[statsman 5504]

KD is a great player and a great Longhorn. I always enjoy seeing him in the sidelines. I enjoyed watching him will the US team to gold in 2021. I’ll never understand why this bbs, alone among Longhorn message boards, is so negative to him. 

[shadow_operative 15932]

the fact that people bend over backwards to diss him every time GS does something well is just so weird to me. but then i have to remind myself that basketball fans are far and away the least knowledgeable sports fans on the planet. to this day, NO ONE has been able to name a viable alternative to KD joining GS. no one. they all cry and whine about him and diss him and call him a ring chaser, but then they can't say where else he should have gone. the entire anti-KD movement is based on the idea that he should have either stayed with Russ (🙄), or that should have gone and joined some other shitty team that had no chance of winning. and we know full well that he done that, these very same people would be killing him for not having any titles.

he's a top ~15 player ever who was the best player/finals mvp on two title teams, and yet somehow he's become the punching bag of every idiot and twitter troll who casually follows the NBA. anyone who hates on KD like this is simply showing his ass.

[SilasCoade 2622]

10 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

he's a top ~15 player ever who was the best player/finals mvp on two title teams

And it's only not 3 because of the Achilles injury. 

[Michael Knight 13049]

44 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

the fact that people bend over backwards to diss him every time GS does something well is just so weird to me. but then i have to remind myself that basketball fans are far and away the least knowledgeable sports fans on the planet. to this day, NO ONE has been able to name a viable alternative to KD joining GS. no one. they all cry and whine about him and diss him and call him a ring chaser, but then they can't say where else he should have gone. the entire anti-KD movement is based on the idea that he should have either stayed with Russ (🙄), or that should have gone and joined some other shitty team that had no chance of winning. and we know full well that he done that, these very same people would be killing him for not having any titles.

he's a top ~15 player ever who was the best player/finals mvp on two title teams, and yet somehow he's become the punching bag of every idiot and twitter troll who casually follows the NBA. anyone who hates on KD like this is simply showing his ass.

Its pretty obvious he should have forced a trade to the Spurs

[Brian Fantana 6708]

53 minutes ago, shadow_operative said:

the fact that people bend over backwards to diss him every time GS does something well is just so weird to me. but then i have to remind myself that basketball fans are far and away the least knowledgeable sports fans on the planet. to this day, NO ONE has been able to name a viable alternative to KD joining GS. no one. they all cry and whine about him and diss him and call him a ring chaser, but then they can't say where else he should have gone. the entire anti-KD movement is based on the idea that he should have either stayed with Russ (🙄), or that should have gone and joined some other shitty team that had no chance of winning. and we know full well that he done that, these very same people would be killing him for not having any titles.

he's a top ~15 player ever who was the best player/finals mvp on two title teams, and yet somehow he's become the punching bag of every idiot and twitter troll who casually follows the NBA. anyone who hates on KD like this is simply showing his ass.

To be clear, I was joking. 

[aggie08 21587]

I give KD serious props for leaving. He could have stayed and rolled up 5 of 6 titles. Basically, any year that he and Steph are healthy in May and June, they'd have a 90% chance of winning the title.

It takes guts to pass all that up and venture out on his own again. Brooklyn is currently 3rd for next year's title odds, despite the shit show that was their season. That's 100% respect for KD's greatness.

[statsman 5504]

It’s funny- Curry, KD, Harden and Russ are all close in age. All have won MVPs. Of them, only KD and Curry have won championships, and KD won his playing with Curry, and not with Harden (granted, short period) and Russ. 
Curry is terrific, but it seems he has been fortunate to play for a team that (after a few years, finally) figured out how to maximize his skills for the modern game, and never asked him to do what wasn’t in his skill set. OKC never figured out the modern game, and stubbornly kept asking Durant to just be great enough to put them over the top, despite lack of ball movement, lack of depth and lack of shooting. 
Strangely, Curry’s core teammates (Thompson and Green) were better suited for winning championships than Durant’s (Harden, Irving and Westbrook), despite having less solo talent. The GS group has a better understanding of roles and how they mesh in the modern game. 
Durant was considering three other teams in 2016- SA, Boston and Miami. I kind of think he’d have at least two championships whichever he had picked. 
Maybe he’s not done yet. 

[Hate 20157]

the fact that people bend over backwards to diss him every time GS does something well is just so weird to me. but then i have to remind myself that basketball fans are far and away the least knowledgeable sports fans on the planet. to this day, NO ONE has been able to name a viable alternative to KD joining GS. no one. they all cry and whine about him and diss him and call him a ring chaser, but then they can't say where else he should have gone. the entire anti-KD movement is based on the idea that he should have either stayed with Russ (), or that should have gone and joined some other shitty team that had no chance of winning. and we know full well that he done that, these very same people would be killing him for not having any titles.
he's a top ~15 player ever who was the best player/finals mvp on two title teams, and yet somehow he's become the punching bag of every idiot and twitter troll who casually follows the NBA. anyone who hates on KD like this is simply showing his ass.

Uhmmm…aren’t you a basketball fan?