Kevin Durant’s Greatest Moments with the Thunder
By Ben Bundy
4. Trip to the Finals
During the 2011-12 NBA season, the NBA owners locked-out their players, shortening the regular season to a mere 66 games. It was during this season that Kevin Durant and the Thunder were clicking on all cylinders. They finished the regular season second in the West and were primed and ready for the post-seson.
During the playoffs, Durant led the team easily through the first couple of rounds. It was when they had to play the San Antonio Spurs for the Western Conference crown that we saw the team – and Durant – take over. Durant led the Thunder from a 2-0 series deficit to win the West and claim their spot in the Finals.
The Thunder had to play the Miami Heat in the Finals that year, and it was fairly obvious that the Thunder weren’t ready for the challenge. The team was still young, and didn’t seem to have what it took to win it all that season. However, this doesn’t take away from Durant’s greatness in the playoffs that year. Just look at his stats through all four rounds.
Pts-28.5 Reb-7.4 Ast-3.7 Blk-1.2 Stl-1.5
Durant and the rest of the team may have come up short, but they were still good enough to get the franchise to their first Finals appearance since 1996, and the first one while being in Oklahoma City.
Next: 3. Back to Back to Back Scoring Titles