Durant Has Played 930 More Regular Season/Playoff Minutes Than LeBron In Past Five Years

[RealGM Wiretap]

Kevin Durant's withdrawl from USA Basketball appeared to be confession, and the Oklahoma City Thunder star admitted he was mentally and physically exhausted.

No player has logged more combined regular season and playoff minutes over the past three seasons than Durant, who has played 10,924 minutes. LeBron James sits in second with 10,811, even with three straight trips to the NBA Finals in that window.

Over the past five seasons, Durant’s 15,064 minutes also pace all players and are 930 more than James, who is No. 2 on that list.

Thunder coach Scott Brooks said last October that he likes to keep Durant’s minutes between 38 and 40. The Thunder could be forced to look into monitoring Durant's minutes with more frequency.

“As we go forward there’s no question that’s something we want to look at and understand,” Thunder general manager Sam Presti said about Durant’s minutes at the end of the season. “Not only for the long term, but to also make sure we are getting the most out of the minutes that are played during one particular game or another…I can’t tell you what comes of it.”

Via Darnell Mayberry/The Oklahoman

[Rated T By CBRA]

Fatigue kicking in? Is he going to be rested from now on?

[34_fifty]

nvm

[miltk]

no bench

no nuttin' but for three guys

[Cottage Grove]

Paul George has Durant re-evaluating if water guns are safe.

[GuyverX]

How else is he going to score all those points? The guy never comes out of the game. He even plays extended minutes in the all-star game. LMAO

[Thugger HBC]

Pretty efficient dude, even playing a ton of minutes. Those minutes could hurt in the long run, but the kid is a racehorse right now.

[RandomRaptorfan]

dat scott brooks offense has its drawbacks

[Circ]

If he was so physically exhausted what was he doing playing those intense one-on-one games with Harden and Paul George everyday after practice?

[2thehoopand1]

Youth. The kid gloves come off this season he's 25 going into the prime of his career however playing close to 40 mins a night is asking for trouble. It may seem redundant but OKC may want to invest some time looking for an above average sf. Can anybody name a reliable back up this guy ever had ?

[Bravenewworld]

If he was so physically exhausted what was he doing playing those intense one-on-one games with Harden and Paul George everyday after practice?

Yah... im not sure if you can compare the stress level, mental and physical exhaustion of Olympic games, with some pick up 1 on 1 games with some buddies, no matter how "intense" they are.
And someone else said it and is right, the Thunder need to bring in a secondary 3 that can produce for 12 minutes. Or at least be defensive for 12 minutes, personally i would have shot for Danny Granger, but thats just me.

[Bravenewworld]

Pretty efficient dude, even playing a ton of minutes. Those minutes could hurt in the long run, but the kid is a racehorse right now.

One of the positive aspects of this is Durant's body type. While he is putting up all these minutes, the fact that he does not weigh more is really saving his knee's and legs from wear or serious injury due to wear.

[Thugger HBC]

Pretty efficient dude, even playing a ton of minutes. Those minutes could hurt in the long run, but the kid is a racehorse right now.

One of the positive aspects of this is Durant's body type. While he is putting up all these minutes, the fact that he does not weigh more is really saving his knee's and legs from wear or serious injury due to wear.

True, which is why I used the rachorse term...lean and fit. Kinda funny, some felt his body type wouldnt last in the NBA, but he's been one of the most durable.

[IWishIWasHarden]

That equals 22.5 games.

Big whoop.

[johnnyballgame]

That equals 22.5 games.

Big whoop.

Durant himself saying he's tired ain't enough for you? Mentally and physically exhausted were the exact words I believe.

He and the Thunder are clearly fighting history. History says he needs more rest and the team needs more depth.
From the Oklahoman:
"Last season, Durant led all players in total minutes in both the regular season (3,122) and playoffs (815). It was the third time in the past five seasons that Durant led the league in total minutes played. That’s one more year than LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki have combined to lead the league in minutes.
No player in the past 10 years has won a championship in the same season in which he amassed at least 3,000 minutes. Ben Wallace with Detroit in 2004 was the last player to do so.
Not since Norm Nixon with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1980 has a player from a championship team led the league in minutes in the regular season. Only three other players have ever done it: Jack George in 1956, Bill Russell in 1959 and again in 1965 and Wilt Chamberlain in 1967."

[Bravenewworld]

Pretty efficient dude, even playing a ton of minutes. Those minutes could hurt in the long run, but the kid is a racehorse right now.

One of the positive aspects of this is Durant's body type. While he is putting up all these minutes, the fact that he does not weigh more is really saving his knee's and legs from wear or serious injury due to wear.

True, which is why I used the rachorse term...lean and fit. Kinda funny, some felt his body type wouldnt last in the NBA, but he's been one of the most durable.

But thats only because people latch on to the stupid topics ESPN brings up and compare everyone to Lerbon... lebron lebron lebron!
Anyone who has been paying attention to the game of basketball knows the players who generally keep their height/weight to more ideal averages are the one's who last 18-20 years.

[johnnyballgame]

One of the positive aspects of this is Durant's body type. While he is putting up all these minutes, the fact that he does not weigh more is really saving his knee's and legs from wear or serious injury due to wear.

True, which is why I used the rachorse term...lean and fit. Kinda funny, some felt his body type wouldnt last in the NBA, but he's been one of the most durable.

But thats only because people latch on to the stupid topics ESPN brings up and compare everyone to Lerbon... lebron lebron lebron!
Anyone who has been paying attention to the game of basketball knows the players who generally keep their height/weight to more ideal averages are the one's who last 18-20 years.

Never seen a fat basketball player, but if you're referring to being more muscular, Kevin Willis lasted 21 years, Karl Malone lasted 19. I would say the players with skill last longer. There's no body type similarities amongst those with the longest careers. Robert Parish, John Stockton, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Willis, Malone, Reggie Miller and Cliff Robinson. They were all just good, highly skilled players and they had the longest careers.

[Bravenewworld]

True, which is why I used the rachorse term...lean and fit. Kinda funny, some felt his body type wouldnt last in the NBA, but he's been one of the most durable.

But thats only because people latch on to the stupid topics ESPN brings up and compare everyone to Lerbon... lebron lebron lebron!
Anyone who has been paying attention to the game of basketball knows the players who generally keep their height/weight to more ideal averages are the one's who last 18-20 years.

Never seen a fat basketball player, but if you're referring to being more muscular, Kevin Willis lasted 21 years, Karl Malone lasted 19. I would say the players with skill last longer. There's no body type similarities amongst those with the longest careers. Robert Parish, John Stockton, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Willis, Malone, Reggie Miller and Cliff Robinson. They were all just good, highly skilled players and they had the longest careers.

Well... we can list a few fat players but that does not have to do with your ideal weight for your height. That is the point, and with all the players you pointed out, the similarity is they never really exceeded ideal weight (at least nothing significant).

[Fellow72]

That equals 22.5 games.

Big whoop.

Actually it is 24.4 games since this is in fact in relation to Lebron

You have to average lebron's minutes for the past five years, which equals 38.18. So a game for lebron in the past 5 years lasted 38.18 minutes. Divide 930 minutes by 38.18 and you get the real number which is 24.35

Durant played 24 more games than lebron has in the last 5 years.


I do believe this stat has nothing to due with his exhaustion. It's more so related to how brooks was playing him in the playoffs. The guy wasn't getting enough rest and when he was resting, it was often at the wrong times. Brooks was draining him, and you could tell it affected his game during many periods within the playoffs. That and they experienced another annoying and definitely frustrating post-season failure. I felt a little bad for him tbh, so i am not surprised at all by this report. Durant holds a lot of his frustrations in, and I'm sure there are a lot of un-addressed issues that durant just doesn't have the energy to talk about. I'm pretty sure if nothing changes, he'll strongly consider leaving thunder. And with the lame offseason moves okc makes every year, I'm positive it will come to that.

[SwishMaster90]

Really? OK, they can count. Whoopi! But enough with this KD and LeBron comparison. They might as well as say how many more minutes LeBron has played period. But that's none of my business...