Thunderous Intentions
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Oklahoma City Thunder: Staying Positive!

By Shawn Woods

Jan 26, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) drives against New York Knicks center Kevin Seraphin (1) and small forward Lance Thomas (42) and shooting guard Langston Galloway (2) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Thunder defeated the Knicks 128-122 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant (35) drives against New York Knicks center Kevin Seraphin (1) and small forward Lance Thomas (42) and shooting guard Langston Galloway (2) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Thunder defeated the Knicks 128-122 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 24, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Wayne Ellington (21) defends against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Wayne Ellington (21) defends against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) during first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /

Kevin Durant

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past three months (and if you have been, I’d like to know how you are reading this), Kevin Durant is good. Really, really good.

KD 2016 Avg (1-27)
KD 2016 Avg (1-27) /

His traditional counting stats are incredible. He’s the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, second in assists and leads the team in true shooting percentage at 63.2 percent (a type of field goal percentage that considers threes and free throws).

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There was doubt coming into this season as to whether Durant could ever be “MVP Durant” after last year, and while I understand the incredible hex I’ve now put on him, it appears Durant is fully healed. Of players that average at least 10 shots per game, Durant is third in the league in true shooting percentage, and carries a far higher usage than J.J. Redick, who is in second place (Stephen Curry leads the league at 68.5 percent, but is disqualified for being something other than human).

Over the last three weeks, there is a direct correlation between Durant’s level of play and the Thunder’s record. Durant has averaged 28.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists — with a slight decline in efficiency by Durant’s standards, but still very efficient — and the Thunder have responded by winning 10 of their last 12 games (with losses to the Trail Blazers and Nets). Admittedly, it hasn’t been the most difficult stretch of opponents for the Thunder — the win on January 6th against the Grizzlies is probably their best — but beating sub-par teams by large margins is exactly what good teams do. The team’s point differential during that stretch is 8.8, which is about the expected point differential for a 61-win team.

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