Durant makes Oklahoma City debut in summer league

[jman23]

kevin durant didn't to wait until training camp to wear an Oklahoma City uniform for the first time.

The reigning NBA rookie of the year donned his relocated team’s jersey Tuesday, helping Oklahoma City beat the host Magic 100-77 in a summer league matchup. Durant scored 22 points in 28 minutes, looking every bit as smooth as he did this past season with the Seattle SuperSonics.

“For love of the game,” Durant said. “I liked being out there. It was great to play with my new teammates.”

Durant was a spectator for Oklahoma City’s summer-league debut Monday, sitting on the team bench. Just seeing that game made him decide that he wanted to play, and he indicated that he might stick around for Oklahoma City’s matchup Thursday against the Miami Heat, one that would pit him against his close friend Michael Beasley.

“He’s the type of player that can’t sit and watch,” Oklahoma City rookie point guard Russell Westbrook said after getting to play alongside Durant for the first time in a game situation. “He wants to get out there and play as well. He’s still a kid, so he wanted to play.”

One problem: Durant didn’t bring game sneakers to Orlando.


Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant t…

AP - Jul 8, 6:50 pm EDT
So he ordered some to be shipped overnight, and they arrived in plenty of time for tipoff.

“This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while, since we drafted those guys,” Durant said. “I just wanted to come out here and get a game with them, get a couple of games with them, just to see how they play.”

Jeff Green—who played with Durant in Seattle last season—had 28 points, and Westbrook finished with 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting for Oklahoma City. Durant shot 7-for-10 from the floor and also grabbed five rebounds.

Courtney Lee had 28 points for Orlando.

Last week’s announcement that the Sonics were moving to Oklahoma City— owner Clay Bennett’s hometown—caught Durant a bit off-guard, in the sense that he didn’t expect relocation to happen so quickly. But at the same time, he freely acknowledges that he’s ready to show new fans in Oklahoma what they’re getting, too.

“I really can’t wait to get started,” said Durant, who averaged 24 points in four games for Seattle in the Las Vegas summer league last year.

On Tuesday, with the game well in hand—Oklahoma City led by 18 at halftime and only trailed briefly in the opening moments—Durant was a part-time player, part-time coach, part-time cheerleader. He shouted plays to Westbrook and was the first player off the bench at the final horn to greet teammates, most of whom won’t be anywhere near Oklahoma City when training camp begins for real this fall.

“A game is a game,” Durant said. “I just wanted to get acquainted with my new teammates as much as possible and have some fun.”

heres the link http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=A ... &type=lgns

[Tony Plow]

I wonder how the formerly known as the Sonics would have done without Durant.

[OKCFan]

I wonder how the formerly known as the Sonics would have done without Durant.

Well, even if you took away his 22 straight up (not factoring in the fact that Westbrook and Green would have scored more) then OKC still would have won 78-77. So that is a good sign I guess.

I love the fact that Westbrook and Green are stepping up to the challenge and showing that they are on a different level than the rest of these summer leaguers...

The only thing that worries me is, that is our team. Those three guys all playing on the summer league roster BETTER be smashing the other teams, because those are our guys come November...

[Tony Plow]

I wonder how the formerly known as the Sonics would have done without Durant.

Well, even if you took away his 22 straight up (not factoring in the fact that Westbrook and Green would have scored more) then OKC still would have won 78-77. So that is a good sign I guess.

I love the fact that Westbrook and Green are stepping up to the challenge and showing that they are on a different level than the rest of these summer leaguers...

The only thing that worries me is, that is our team. Those three guys all playing on the summer league roster BETTER be smashing the other teams, because those are our guys come November...

Yes. Oklahoma City would have still won the game... Unless Durant's defensive moves made the difference. It is possible that without that, the Magic could have won. Point is, Durant may just be the next Chris Paul. He has a great start.

[Harden_on]

Durant did great

[fallacy]

Durant did great

Um, this is from 08 dude..