Part of what makes Kevin Durant’s stretch of 25 point games so incredible is that teams are keying on the guy and he is scoring.  Some of it is just incredible talent (he has one of the smoothest strokes in the game), some of it is savvy and awareness (the way he gets to the line), and some of it is the playcalling.  That is what we are going to talk about today.

In the fourth quarter of a really good game, the Thunder are coming out of a timeout under their own basket.  Everyone in the building knows that the Thunder want to get the ball to Durant, and somehow they still get him an open lob-pass.

The play starts with the lane being real crowded.  You have 3 guys in there already, and as a result there are 4 defenders in the paint. It looks like the Thunder are going to go away from the paint to a corner, away from the defenders.

As the ball gets handed to James Harden, Kevin Durant starts to the opposite block, as if he is going to set a backscreen for Russell Westbrook.  Also, Serge Ibaka is setting a screen for Eric Maynor (this is going t o be important later).

Once Durant reaches the opposite block, he quickly spins and heads towards the basket.  Grant Hill isn’t in proper position to defend him because he was overplaying Durant, trying to cut him off.  Also, Channing Frye isn’t in proper position either.  Usually he would be farther down in the paint to prevent a backdoor cut, but with the pick action going on at the top of the key, Frye needs to be in position to help defend Maynor if he comes off a screen.

Harden throws a perfect pass, and Durant uses his size (and the free space given from Frye not being in proper position) to make the catch and finish at the basket.  Channing Frye tries to get back in time, but he doesn’t make it, so he ends up committing the foul.  Another 3 easy points for Kevin Durant and the Thunder.