The Unstoppable Kevin Durant

The Golden State Warriors are your NBA champions. For four of the five games against the Cavaliers, the Golden State Warriors bludgeoned, brutalized, bulldozed, terrorized, and mauled the Cleveland Cavaliers, showing unwavering killer instinct on both sides of the ball. The powering force behind the Warriors’ dominance has undoubtedly been the 6'9"(actually 7 foot, maybe taller) basketball machine himself, Kevin Durant. KD’s absurd mix of length, jump shooting, driving to the rim, handles, perimeter, help, and paint defense made everything LeBron James and the Cavs did futile, especially defensively. The Finals MVP’s stat line was absurdly dominant and efficient, 35.2/8.4/5.4/1.0/1.6 (Pts/Reb/Ast/Stl/Blk) on 56% shooting from the field and 47% from three. Going up against the best player in the world and arguably a top three player of all time in LeBron James, KD stepped up and had an all time great series and pushed the Warriors to their 2nd title in 3 years. Without further ado, let’s take an indepth look at how Kevin Durant destroyed the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

KD set the tone early that he was going to have a monster Finals. After the offensive rebound by Draymond Green, KD takes LeBron to the rim with a strong drive, and finishes with an easy floater. KD’s crazy length makes this floater completely untouchable.

Here, KD does a brilliant job moving without the ball. He lulls LeBron to sleep with subtle movements forward then bam, a sharp cut to the rim for an easy alley oop slam. Someone wake LeBron up, please.

One dangerously underrated part of Kevin Durant’s game is his ability to handle the rock and pass the ball. The Warriors run probably the biggest pick and roll of all time, with 7 foot KD handling the ball and 6'11" Zaza Pachulia setting the screen and rolling. KD penetrates and patiently waits until a window opens, then he zips the perfect pass to Zaza for an easy dunk.

So simple, yet so effective and deadly. KD comes around the screen set by Steph Curry, then just effortlessly nails a pull up jumper right over LeBron James. This is where Durant’s absurd length comes into play again, as even though Bron gets a great contest, Durant’s length enables him to easily shoot over the shorter LeBron James.

KD absolutely destroyed the Cavs in transition in Game 1, and it started here. Steph pushes the ball after a turnover and finds KD camped at the three point line. After KD gets the ball, he immediately attacks the rim and easily glides past LeBron for a vicious slam dunk. Easy, easy, easy.

Down goes the King. After an getting the bounce pass, KD hits LeBron with a slight pump fake then turned on the jets to drive baseline to the rim for yet another easy slam. In the process, LeBron lost his footing and fell on the floor. Light work for the Finals MVP.

After the offensive rebound, KD gets himself back into the scoring position, then once again takes advantage of LeBron’s overaggressiveness on defense by simply driving right by him. KD then unselfishly gives up the easy two to big man Javale McGee, who slams it home through contact.

Alright I’m just going to say it, the Cavs probably (read: definitely) should’ve stopped the ball here. I’m sure KD didn’t mind that they didn’t stop the ball, since the result was him predictably throwing down a mean jam at the rack. Transition killer.

This is what happens when you patiently trail a play in transition. Steph outlets the ball to Shaun Livingston, who gets stopped at the rim by Kyle Korver, then simply flipped the ball to a patiently waiting Kevin Durant, who then gets another easy transition slam. Always run the floor in transition, you’ll almost always get rewarded.

Spotting up after setting the screen, Kevin Durant instantly spotted two things, a mismatch with Iman Shumpert on him and a clear lane to the rim, as Shumpert failed to get back in time to cut off his right lane. Durant takes advantage of the lane given to him, gracefully striding to the rim past three defenders and finishing at the rim.

First on the defensive end, KD plays great defense on LeBron, forcing him to make a bad pass and turn the ball over. Then, he immediately turns on the jets in transition, gets the ball, and (stop me if you heard this before) slammed home an easy dunk. The threat of Steph Curry nailing a three made JR Smith decide to give KD the open lane, as JR hurried to cover Steph in transition. 2 is less than 3, I suppose.

After Steph Curry (!!!) snatched the offensive rebound, KD once again puts himself in great scoring position, following the ball and going to the other side of the court. From there, KD makes quick work of the much smaller Kyrie Irving in the post, backing him down and banking in a layup over Irving.

KD once again scores in transition, but this time in a much different way. After Draymond steals the ball and gives it to Steph, Klay and KD use a classic fastbreak technique, where two players run along the two sidelines, which maximizes the odds of scoring on a 2-on-1 situation. Steph outlets to Klay, who then spots an open KD on the other side of the court. Then KD makes a stone cold three right in Tristan Thompson’s eye, nothing but net.

Remember when JR Smith made that business decision to take away the Steph three and let KD dunk because 2 is less than 3? Yeah well the Warriors operate with that same mentality. KD slices down the lane in transition, then as JR Smith steps over from the corner to cut him off, Durant zips a pass to a wide open Steph Curry, who of course makes the trey ball.

This is just nasty by Kevin Durant. KD looks like he committed to driving to the rim around the screen, so Richard Jefferson committed on stopping him from going to the rack. But then KD hits RJ with a dirty behind the back dribble on a dime, losing Jefferson in the process, and knocks down a wide open mid range jumper. Have mercy KD, he’s 36 years old.

Not much to analyze here, just a great outlet pass to a wide open Draymond Green for another easy transition dunk.

Daggers. On back to back possessions, KD nailed two cold blooded threes that stuck the dagger into the Cavaliers’ heart and twisted it around for good measure. The first three was an easy wide open transition three, while the second was a deadeye trey ball right in Richard Jefferson’s mouth. Ice cold baby, he’s ice cold.

KD starts off Game 2 the same way he started the first one, moving brilliantly without the ball. KD sets a screen for Steph, then wisely splits between LeBron and Kyrie as they both crash down on Steph. Steph gives KD a great bounce pass and KD finishes smoothly at the rim, avoiding Tristan Thompson in the process.

KD looked to do more of the same from Game 1, attacking the Cavs’ poor transition defense. KD takes a wide open lane to his left and sucks in 2 defenders, his defender and Draymond Green’s defender. Durant realizes he has two people on him then kicks out to Green for a wide open 3, easy buckets.

For some reason LeBron James is standing 30 feet away from the basket and isn’t involved in the Cavs offense at all, which allows KD to stalk every move Kyrie Irving makes. The second Irving throws the errant behind the back pass, KD pounces on it and starts a fastbreak, passing it to Steph for an easy floater finish.

This play is just peak Kevin Durant. Kyrie Irving chopped Klay Thompson into pieces and looked as though he was gonna have an easy jumper, but KD uses his length to swat Kyrie’s shot and grab the rebound. Then true to Warriors basketball, KD pushes the pace, then slows and steps back to the three point line when he spots Tristan Thompson picking him up. Thompson doesn’t respond quick enough and bang, three pointer down the drain.

LeBron is way too lax with the rock and KD simply takes it away from him. Cookies.

The Warriors played KD at the 5 a bunch Game 2 and it worked very well. Here, KD spots the cutting Channing Frye, rotates over, and denies his shot at the rim. The ball even went out on Frye for good measure.

Once again, KD shows off his underrated passing ability. This pick and roll is even bigger than the last one, and KD throws a picture perfect, sky high alley oop for Javale McGee to slam home. Brilliant job getting the pass over the Cavs defense.

Sir. With the shot clock going down, KD just hoists up a three from well behind the three point line and nails it. Nothing you can do about it.

Somehow Kyrie Irving gets switched onto KD here and the Cavs get punished for it, as KD just blatantly shoots over Irving. You’re too short, bubba.

I….. I don’t know man. What are you supposed to do about this? Rolling off of the pick, KD receives the pass and feels contact immediately, so he throws up and shot and somehow hits it for an and-1. That’s literally unguardable.

KD dares LeBron to drive here. He takes away the right side and the court and gives him a lane to his left, and the King took it. He shouldn’t have taken it. KD stays with him stride for stride then mercilessly swatted LeBron’s futile layup attempt at the rim.

Never give up on the play. KD is forced to settle for a pull up jumper due to the shot clock running down and he missed (a legitimate shocker) but the bounce off of the front of the rim gave KD a chance to snatch the offensive rebound and have a second chance at scoring, which Durant takes full advantage of.

Kevin Durant is one of those players where you can play absolutely perfect defense and it just doesn’t matter, he’s still gonna make the shot. This is a perfect example of that, as LeBron was attached to KD’s hip the whole play and had the perfect contest, yet KD still nailed the fadeaway jumper in his eye. Nothing you can do Bron.

You never, ever foul a three point shooter. ESPECIALLY after he already shot the three and the foul doesn’t affect the outcome of the shot at all. KD spots up and knocks down a wide open three and eats the silly contact from JR Smith. Four point play with ease.

First, KD doesn’t a great job defending Kyrie Irving, the best isolation scorer in the league, on his own, forcing him into a tough floater that he missed. Then, he meets Iman Shumpert at the rim, and… you could’ve guessed who won that battle.

Kevin Durant is one of those players where you can play absolutely perfect defense and it just doesn’t matter, he’s still gonna make the shot. This is a perfect example of that, as LeBron was attached to KD’s hip the whole play and had the perfect contest, yet KD still nailed the pull up jumper in his eye. Nothing you can do Bron.

Yes, I copied and pasted that entire paragraph from a few gifs ago here and simply changed fadeaway jumper to pull up jumper, because it’s still true.

Many people, clearly including Kevin Love here, think KD is weak just because of his wiry frame. That’s simply not true. Love tried to back down KD and barely, if at all, moved him, then tried to throw up a post hook and it was rejected ruthlessly. Don’t try that again, Kevin.

In a direct continuation of the previous gif, KD takes the ball up the court and immediately attacks, leaving LeBron in the dust with a crossover and making an extremely tough layup over Kevin Love’s good defense. Unstoppable.

Dagger, bruh.

Game 3, Steve Kerr’s triumphant return to the bench, saw KD used a bit more off the ball and as a spot up shooter as seen here. KD runs around the screen, catches, sets, and knocks down the 3. Crystal clean.

Steph Curry misses a floater but it luckily clanks off the front of the rim and back into his arms, where he kicks the ball out to KD, who is camped at the three point line. Predictably, KD hits the three.

Not sure what kind of defense Kevin Love is playing, but KD took full advantage of the spaced out Love, zipping in a great pass to a wide open Draymond Green for a slam.

Kevin Durant is one of those players where you can play absolutely perfect defense and it just doesn’t matter, he’s still gonna make the shot. This is a perfect example of that, as Richard Jefferson was attached to KD’s hip the whole play and had the perfect contest, yet KD still nailed the pull up jumper in his eye. Nothing you can do RJ.

Yes, I copied and pasted that entire paragraph from a few gifs ago here and simply changed LeBron to Richard Jefferson, because it’s still true.

Once again trapped on an island with the best ISO scorer in the league, KD locks down and gets a clean block on Kyrie’s jumper, putting his extreme length to work yet again.

The series should still be going right now. The Cavs should’ve won Game 3, the Warriors should be up 3–2 headed back to Cleveland, but Kevin Durant was having none of it. Down 5, KD confidently steps into a three pointer over Kevin Love.

Down 4 with time dwindling, KD smells blood in the water when Tristan Thompson is switched on him. KD powers his way to the basket, where he flips an easy floater in to cut the lead down to two.

I repeat, Kevin Durant was having none of losing Game 3. KD grabs the rebound and takes it down the court and ruthlessly smacks a three right in LeBron’s face for a one point lead that the Dubs never relinquished. Ice cold baby, he’s ice cold.

Hopping into the series clinching Game 5, KD starts the game by abusing a mismatch he abused time and time again during this series, Tristan Thompson being switched onto him. KD blows by TT and finishes easily with his left hand.

You absolutely can not play KD as tight as Richard Jefferson did on this play, or KD is going to do exactly what he did here. KD gets the pass and easily blows by RJ and finishes a smooth right handed layup, gliding past Kyrie Irving and LeBron James.

RJ attempts to play tight defense again on KD, and it does work a bit better this time, but it doesn’t really matter, as KD spins to his left and abruptly pulls up for a baseline jumper. Easy, easy, easy.

KD does a great job being a pest in help defense here, taking advantage of the lack of protection Kyrie had on the ball and swiping the ball loose, leading to an Andre Iguodala fastbreak slam.

This is lowkey (highkey) disrespectful from Kevin Durant. After getting the pass from Steph, KD notices he has Kevin Love on him, so instead of continuing his drive to the paint, he pulled the ball back out and nailed a three in Love’s face.

KD waited, and waited, and waited, and waited from one of his teammates to get freed up by a screen, then he decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. KD squared up towards the rim and hits a three right after LeBron’s perfect contest.

All KD has to do is sit here and watch the madness unfold until he receives a pass. Steph Curry (!!!) snatches an offensive rebound over Kevin Love, then weaves his way through the defense to find a wide open Kevin Durant, who drills the three pointer (shocker). The Cavs probably shouldn’t have left him open.

KD once again resorts to bodying a smaller defender then simply shooting over him for an easy basket, this time JR Smith was the victim of the punishment.

This is a great find by Kevin Durant, finding Klay Thompson spotted up wide open on the wing for an easy three.

Uhhhh, Kevin still has the ball Richard. KD gets the ball when he came around the screen then threw his arms over his heads, which somehow confused the hell out of Richard Jefferson, as RJ walked past KD like he didn’t have the ball. KD didn’t question RJ’s antics, instead opting to drill the wide open three graciously gifted to him.

Kevin Durant is one of those players where you can play absolutely perfect defense and it just doesn’t matter, he’s still gonna make the shot. This is a perfect example of that, as LeBron was attached to KD’s hip the whole play and had the perfect contest, yet KD still nailed the pull up jumper in his eye. Nothing you can do Bron.

You get the gist.

KD’s wildly underrated vision and passing come into play once again, as while squaring up with King James on the right side of the court, KD finds Andre Iguodala spotted up on the wing on the other side of the court and hits him with a picture perfect pass, leading to a huge three pointer from the 2015 Finals MVP.

This is just absurd. KD gives up the rock on the drive but the ball eventually finds its way back to him at the three point line, then he hits one of the most ridiculous fadeaway contested three I’ve ever seen. That’s literally unguardable, absolutely nothing Cleveland can do.

Instead of making the better play and passing the ball to Iggy for a freebie, KD decided to take this possession for himself. Korver plays great defense, cutting off KD while he was cutting to the paint and giving a great contest, but KD simply shoots over the much shorter defender as he did time and time again this series, and of course he made it.

Under no circumstances should Kyle Korver be guarding Kevin Durant during big possessions of a NBA Finals elimination game, yet here he is guarding Kevin Durant during a big possession of a NBA Finals elimination game. KD easily sheds Korver and glides for an easy slam to push the Warriors’ lead to 12 with 5 minutes to go.

Instead of a cold blooded three to stick the dagger into the Cavs, KD zips a great passing to the back door cutting Steph Curry for the layup, which essentially served as the dagger (this and the Curry three over Kyrie), as the Cavs never got close with the Dubs again.

KD’s legendary Finals performance will go down in NBA lore forever and ever as the performance that started the Warriors dynasty and established KD as a top two player in the NBA.