Playoff Kevin Durant is back after a two-year wait

How quickly have we forgotten about Playoff Kevin Durant? Fans marvel over how Playoff LeBron activates a different gear to elevate his game when the postseason starts, but he is not the only player who can tap into that gear. In fact, Durant has done it on a level that even LeBron James would have trouble matching.

The last time Kevin Durant was in the playoffs was in 2019. For that postseason campaign, KD averaged 32.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 4.5 APG on 51% shooting from the field and 44% accuracy from deep. In the regular season for the Nets, Durant put up 26.9 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 5.6 APG on a career high 54% shooting from the field and a career high 45% shooting from three. If that is what the two-time NBA Champion had in store for us in just the regular season, just imagine what the playoffs are going to look like when he tops himself.

LeBron James in last year’s championship run put up 27.6 PPG, 10.8 RPG, and 8.8 APG on 56% shooting from the field and 37% shooting from downtown. As the four-time NBA Champion ages, he continues to put up historical numbers. However, what separates his playoff mode from Kevin Durant’s playoff mode is the consistency from deep. Durant is by far the better shooter and he is lethal from anywhere on the court. His ability to pull up and shoot the ball over anybody only makes it more difficult for defenders to contain the Nets forward.