BaYBaller wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
On a side note did you guys see Durant after that game. Looked like he was about to cry he wanted to win so bad. The whole bench practically got up to console him. Felt sorry for him but he's going to be so good in a couple of years. A poor man's T-Mac now, a rich man's T-Mac later.
I'd like to chime in on this. First off I don't want to take anything away from TMAC because he is an amazing player. I watched him in person drop 41 points on the Sonics when he was in Orlando and it didn't even look like he broke a sweat.
So I am in no way raining on TMAC parade. But to the guys who don't think Durant is going to be as good as TMAC, I don't know what games you have been watching of the Sonics?
As a Sonics fan I have watched all but four games this season and yes it has been incredibly painful.
So first off.
etopn23 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
A rich mans Mcgrady? Is he going to have a 35/8/8/2/2 season or something?
IMO Durant is way too skinny to be compared to Mcgrady - he doesn't have close to the athletic ability Mcgrady had coming into the league. He doesn't drive nor handle the ball as well - he's just lankier.
I can agree that TMAC has better hops.
Durant has a 33.5 vertical leap. And just shy of a 7'5" wing span.
No it's not 39" or 40" but the guy can still get up.
Having hops is great but if you can't shoot what's the point? Just ask Stromile Swift or Tyrus Thomas.
I remember a guy named Larry Bird who couldn't rise but he had a pretty solid Hall of Fame career.
Sure hops help but you don't have to have surreal hops to be effective in the league.
nyk_buc wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
durant is not going to be close to tmac. he's going to be purely a scorer. he doesn't show ANY signs of being a playmaker or an all-around player like tmac is. sure nobody is going to expect him to avg 4-5 assists, but he doesn't show any signs.
but he'll be a pretty good scorer though. he's not tmac in any sense outside of similar physical appaerance.
Can I ask a question? How many Seattle games have you watched this year?
Durant is very capable of dropping five asts a game. In fact Durant has mentioned this in an interview before. He was asked what part of his game most people don't know about. "I can really pass the ball" he said and when he was in Texas his role on the team was shoot, shoot, and shoot some more.
If you have watched more than three Seattle games you can see that Durant is a very deft passer. Now when they Sonics give the kid some help maybe they can convert some of them.
Make no mistakes about it, as of today he is not TMAC. Heck TMAC wasn't TMAC 40+ games into his NBA career.
But TMAC wasn't close to Durant his first
two seasons into the league. Durant is about 6 months older than TMCA was at this point in his rookie career.
So let's skip to TMAC's
third year so you it's easier to compare them because they are getting similar minutes.
TMAC year
three. Age 20/21
15.4pts 6.3rpg 3.3asts 1.1stls 1.9blk
Durant Rookie year age 19
19.4pts 4.2rpg 2.1asts 0.8stls 1.1blk
Durant has a feirce work ethic. Now I won't bring up the TMAC"S Orlando situation.
He eventually will move to the forward position so I expect his rebounding number to go up. Call me a homer but I just don't see how you wouldn't think Durant is going to be as good as TMAC especially after he hits the gym and puts on some muscle.
So I don't think it is a stretch at all to think Durant might improve over the next say 6 or 7 years to the tune of 30pts, 8rebs, 5dimes, 2stls, 2blks.
Once he moves to SF his FG% should go up considerably that should add 6 points right there.