Where is the criticism of Durant?

[bksballer89]

In a playoffs game without his sidekick, he had 0 points in the 4th quarter of a game where the Thunder needed him to show up big time in the 4th to lead them to a victory.

Can you guys imagine the outrage if Wade missed a playoffs game and LBJ scored 0 points in the 4th quarter of a playoffs game which the Heat ended up losing?

Everyone needs to stop giving Durant a free pass

 

[Kold]

May sound simple minded, but he needs to lose more before he draws that criticism. Lebron didn't really start to get criticized until the expectations were through the roof after they got to the Finals in 07. Expectations were driven up for OKC only after last year. The criticism would've happened to Durant after THIS year if WB was around, but he now has a built in excuse because Westbrook isn't there. His problem is he's trying to play like Lebron(and looking like cleveland Lebron) and not HIMSELF. Just for comparison, it would've been highly unwise if Jordan tried to play like Magic Johnson. Jordan was a scorer and found a decent medium in scoring and getting his teammates involved. Not saying KD is Jordan, but KD is an effecient scorer, and that's what he does best. He is a decent passer, but not a pass first player.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

May sound simple minded, but he needs to lose more before he draws that criticism. Lebron didn't really start to get criticized until the expectations were through the roof after they got to the Finals in 07

Carmelo gets blasted every year without any expectations.

Lebron would have been crushed. Carmelo would have been burned in effigy.

Some guys just get free passes, expectations or not.

CP3 and Durant might as well be coated in Teflon.

 

[Kold]

Carmelo gets blasted every year without any expectations. CP3 and Durant might as well be coated in Teflon.

Well, imo Melo's never really been criticized on a level of Lebron James but to each his own. Chris Paul has never really been on a team with pre-season title expectations and as I said earlier, this is the 1st year in which Durant has been on a team with preseason title or bust expectations, but he'll still draw no criticism since there's no Westbrook. Let him flame out in the playoffs again(with Westbrook), and the critics will come flying out

 

[lakersrule]

KD is still a media darling. He hasn't really done anything yet to draw the ire of NBA fans. Plus the expectations have lessened with Westbrook out. He did choke though. Player like Lebron and Kobe would be hearing it big time around here. I think his status/reputation takes a bit of a hit if OKC ends up choking away this 3-0 lead to an 8th seed.

 

[wlk3]

 

[bksballer89]

KD is still a media darling. He hasn't really done anything yet to draw the ire of NBA fans. Plus the expectations have lessened with Westbrook out. He did choke though. Player like Lebron and Kobe would be hearing it big time around here. I think his status/reputation takes a bit of a hit if OKC ends up choking away this 3-0 lead to an 8th seed.

This is when we see how good Durant really is.

 

[cju84]

Everyone knows it's racist to criticize a black man.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Carmelo gets blasted every year without any expectations.

Lebron would have been crushed. Carmelo would have been burned in effigy.

Some guys just get free passes, expectations or not.

CP3 and Durant might as well be coated in Teflon.

Durant's a better all-around player as well as a better leader. No one actually expects Carmelo to win lol.

 

[bksballer89]

Everyone knows it's racist to criticize a black man.

What are Lebron and Melo? White or Hispanic?

 

[cju84]

What are Lebron and Melo? White or Hispanic?

Yes.

 

[LAKERSUSCBAM]

brings to mind how Kobe did his thing in clutch games and yet was rarely given credit on sports boards(CBS anyone?)

yeah I bring up Kobe 'cause the haters did even when he delivered and we had to defend him. Let's see how KD handles game 6.....Harden played hurt and still made huge impact, just sayin

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

brings to mind how Kobe did his thing in clutch games and yet was rarely given credit on sports boards(CBS anyone?)

yeah I bring up Kobe 'cause the haters did even when he delivered and we had to defend him. Let's see how KD handles game 6.....Harden played hurt and still made huge impact, just sayin

Kobe has always had talent around him. He had a good year this season, but it meant nothing.

OKC is Durant & Westbrook now. Harden is gone. Durant can't do it by himself, just like Kobe can't.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I will lay off for now, just bc he doesn't really know how to play w/o Robin since college. Batman better start showing up in 4th or this series will go to houston.

He did give his teammates many, many good looks and it was just an off night. He should come to make a statement for Game 6...I expect it

I will say it again. Biggest mistake they made is trading harden---the Bearded Beast is going off! Rooting for him

 

[Big Red Slugs]

Durant can't do it by himself, just like Kobe can't.

Ding, Ding, Ding. Neither could LeBron. Nor Jordan.

The problem, for me at least, is that Kobe seems to think he can.

 

[trojanfan12]

Ding, Ding, Ding. Neither could LeBron. Nor Jordan.

The problem, for me at least, is that Kobe seems to think he can.

I think I would amend this to Kobe THOUGHT he could, just like Lebron and MJ thought they could!! The 3 seasons after Shaq left taught Kobe that lesson, just as MJ and Lebron learned as well!! It's why Kobe is so adamant about bringing Pau back and why he wants Dwight signed!!

 

[Shanemansj13]

And the fact that LBJ was #1 pick and "the king" of Cleveland. The pressure was immediate, then the further he went more pressure built up. Now having that 1st ring slightly less pressure, but remember 6 to go.

In KDs case, he wasnt supposed to be the 2nd best player in the NBA in his first couple seasons, less pressure. But this is where it will start to build, if has trouble this yr w/o Westbrook and they get beat before the Finals.

 

[shitsho]

This may be the best thing that could have happened for KD in the long run. Its different when you are the only star on the team. Thats why Lebron is so good. He has been doing this since he stepped into the league as a teenager. I think he is the first superstar to take a team to the Finals without a legit sidekick.

 

[hockey878]

This may be the best thing that could have happened for KD in the long run. Its different when you are the only star on the team. Thats why Lebron is so good. He has been doing this since he stepped into the league as a teenager. I think he is the first superstar to take a team to the Finals without a legit sidekick.

thats why its funny hearing all these people who were saying westbrook was holding durant back now say that durant can't win it alone.

welcome to what LeBron spent 8 years trying to do in Cleveland. Those celtics, pistons and magic teams he lost to are far better than this rockets team. And this thunder team is still as good or better than most of those clevelenad teams lebron played on.

lets stop making excuses and see him step up. time to prove that he really is the leader of this team and on the same level as lebron. (not that winning a series when you were up 3-0 is that impressive)

 

[Sman2011]

This may be the best thing that could have happened for KD in the long run. Its different when you are the only star on the team. Thats why Lebron is so good. He has been doing this since he stepped into the league as a teenager. I think he is the first superstar to take a team to the Finals without a legit sidekick.

It was when the Eastern Conference was garbage. Iverson did the same thing. The only difference is Iverson won a game in the finals and didn't humilate himself like Lebron did.

Anyother brilliant comments, montsho11?