Kevin Durant called ‘King Closer’ and ‘playoff MVP’ after another game-winner
Kevin Durant is conference accolades of the top sequence after attack his third game-winning shot of these NBA playoffs, the 25-foot 3-pointer in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 103-100 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series.
The shot was partial of the 31-point, 12-rebound night for Durant. He had twelve points in the fourth quarter.
Kevin Durant is reception loads of regard after an additional purchase postseason performance. (AP Photo)
“The layer has passed. All disbelief is removed,” The Oklahoman’s Berry Tramel writes, “Kevin Durant is the NBA’s King Closer. Kobe Bryant no longer is.”
Adds ESPN.com’s J.A. Adande, “Kevin Durant is the many profitable player in these playoffs. … You can’t ask the man to do some-more to broach the playoff feat than Durant did down the widen (Saturday night during Staples Center).”
—David Steele: Hopes for Kobe-LeBron ‘dream final’ fade
Durant’s invulnerability has been as considerable as his offense. He done his second pass late-game take of the array in Game 4, as well as Bryant went 0-for-4 when rhythmical by Durant in the fourth entertain upon Saturday.
Durant done Bryant “work intensely tough for all he got, that wasn’t most in the final 4 mins after KD trustworthy himself,” The Oklahoman’s Darnell Mayberry writes, “Using his implausible length, KD contested each shot in text fashion.”
“He wants to ensure (Bryant),” Thunder manager Brooks said, per ESPN. “We similar to putting Thabo (Sefolosha), James (Harden) as well as Kevin upon him. It was about 3 as well as the half mins to go, as well as we done the decision. we suspicion that was the right thing to do during the time. Kobe was creation shots similar to he regularly seems to do, though we suspicion Kevin did the great pursuit of regulating his length as well as bothering him.”
Mayberry, however, implores us not to dont think about about Russell Westbrook, who led the Thunder with 37 points, 10 in the fourth quarter, together with 9 true during the 2:17 second widen in that Oklahoma City cut the lead from 9 to four.
With the Thunder “struggling to get any arrange of descent stroke starting from the second entertain until late in the fourth, Westbrook put his group upon his behind as well as willed OKC to victory,” according to Mayberry.
Westbrook has only 3 turnovers in the initial 4 games of the series.
The Thunder lead the series, 3-1, with the possibility to tighten it out in Game 5 upon Monday night in Oklahoma City.
