It's Friday, which means it's time for another edition of 10 things I like and dislike across the NBA -- starring Kevin Durant's breathtaking dominance, leaky defense from LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets to aimless offense from the New Orleans Pelicans, and the end of a silly tradition.
1. The understated ease of Kevin Durant
During Sunday's Brooklyn Nets game in Toronto, Matt Devlin, the Raptors' play-by-play voice, mentioned it was Durant's first time there since tearing his Achilles during the 2019 Finals.
We are prisoners of the moment, but that night, it felt as if the axis of the league tilted -- that one of the 10 greatest players of all-time would never be the same, that the league and sport itself would never be the same.
And so it was rapturous last season to see Durant carry the hobbled Nets with one majestic performance after another. OK, he's back. Story over. I'm trying to preserve the visceral emotions of that awful night in Toronto, and appreciate the day-to-day regular-season brilliance of this singular player.
Durant leads the league in scoring: 29.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, space-sucking defense. Brace yourself for the shooting numbers: 58.5% overall, 40.4% on 3s, an ungodly 64.5% on 2s -- including an absolutely hilarious 61% on mid-rangers. Durant is almost a divinity -- floating above mortals:
Durant dribbles at Chris Boucher, who has blocked more jumpers than almost anyone in the league over the last three seasons. Durant is unconcerned. He stops on a dime, rises, and barely registers Scottie Barnes flying at him.
Durant's handle has always been third fiddle in analysis of what makes him unique, but it shouldn't be. Most humans this tall cannot risk dribbling around smaller players. None can dribble so smoothly, in calculated staccato bursts. Durant's handle and shooting stroke are intertwined -- amplifying each other. The handle opens up access to infinite shot types.
Gary Trent Jr., leading the league in steals, claps at the chance to test himself. Durant is like, Oh, that's adorable. What's your name again?
The Nets are plus-3.7 per 100 possessions with Durant on the floor, and about even when he sits. They have managed only 99.7 points per 100 possessions without him -- equivalent to the league's 29th-ranked offense.
It's tempting to pin that on James Harden, but the Nets have walloped opponents with Harden as solo star. Brooklyn is losing the Harden-Durant minutes by a lot, and they're minus-23 in 75 minutes without both. (Hi, Kyrie!).
Steve Nash has risked more starless minutes recently due to a change in Harden's substitution pattern. That generates more Harden-Durant time, which might be healthy; they haven't shown much two-man chemistry this season.
2. Two fun pet moves for the strange, blah Mavs
Jalen Brunson's newest trick: the Smitty fake spin!