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Kevin Durant is a two-time NBA champion, carrying the reputation of a high-volume scorer. In the current season with the Brooklyn Nets, he has scored 571 points in 20 games. Durant is the reason Brooklyn (15-6) sits atop the Eastern Conference standings entering Friday night's schedule.
Throughout his career, Kevin Durant’s success cannot be attributed solely to his shooting. He can be a lockdown defender as well. Durant’s 6-foot 10-inch frame puts him in position to contest plays and protect the rim. He has been successful doing that many times in his career, also racking up highlight plays along the way.
Below is a list of his five best seasons in terms of blocks.
No. 5: 2009-10, OKC Thunder (84 blocks)
In the 2009-10 season, the OKC Thunder finished seventh in the Western Conference with a 50-32 record. Durant won his first scoring title with an average of 30.1 points per game. Defensively, he improved, putting up better numbers than his previous seasons in steals and blocks. Kevin Durant recorded 84 blocks in the regular season, effectively protecting the rim.
In his third professional season, Durant proved to be an all-round player who could be relied on, night in and night out.
In the playoffs, the Thunder could not get past the first round, losing to the LA Lakers 4-2. The Lakers went on to win the 2010 NBA Finals in a seven-game series against the Boston Celtics.
No. 4: 2015-16, OKC Thunder (85 blocks)
In the 2015-16 season, the Golden State Warriors had the best regular season in NBA history, winning 73 games. Kevin Durant and the OKC Thunder weren’t far behind in the standings, holding the third seed.
The Thunder relied heavily on Durant and Russell Westbrook. Durant added impressive numbers, scoring 28.2 points, grabbing 8.2 rebounds and dishing 5 assists per game. On the other end of the floor, Kevin Durant recorded 85 blocks, reading the offense well to protect the rim.
Durant was unstoppable in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Thunder beat the Dallas Mavericks 4-1 and the San Antonio Spurs 4-2 to reach the Western Conference finals.
Four games into the conference finals against the Golden State Warriors, they held a 3-1 lead. The events of the following set of games were something no one predicted as Durant’s Oklahoma City team gave up the lead and lost Game 7, bringing their campaign to a frustrating end.
#3 2016-17 with Golden State Warriors – 99 blocks
Free agent Kevin Durant was on the lookout, having decided to part ways with the OKC Thunder. The Golden State Warriors were trying to strengthen their squad after losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals. Both parties agreed to a deal in the offseason, and the rest is history.
Re-energized under a new banner, Durant had to find his role within the Golden State system. Durant gave the Warriors an edge with his defensive abilities, recording 99 blocks in the regular season. They won 81.7% of their games in the regular season, securing the Western Conference's top seed.
Durant and the Warriors swept their way into the 2017 NBA Finals. They did not lose a game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz or the San Antonio Spurs. With the addition of Durant, Golden State got its revenge against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The series ended 4-1, with the Golden State Warriors winning the championship.
No. 2: 2012-13, OKC Thunder (105 blocks)
In the 2012-13 season, the OKC Thunder topped the Western Conference standings with a 60-22 record. Kevin Durant had one of his best defensive seasons, recording 105 blocks and a career-high 116 steals in a single season. His defensive prowess translated into allowing just 96.5 points per game throughout the season.
The Thunder took their first-round series against the Houston Rockets in six games. But in the second round Durant’s double-double average of 28.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per game was not enough to get past the Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder lost the series 4-1, bringing one of their stronger seasons to an end.
No. 1: 2017-18, Golden State Warriors (119 blocks)
Kevin Durant, in his second season with Golden State, was poised to win back-to-back NBA championships. During the regular season, Durant dialed it up on defense, recording a career-high 119 blocks.
His best defensive performance of the season came against the New Orleans Pelicans, blocking a career-high seven shots. Durant played the 2017-18 season in slow motion, reading the offense and protecting the rim.
In the playoffs, Golden State won the first two series 4-1, against the San Antonio Spurs and then the New Orleans Pelicans. Their toughest matchup in the postseason was the Western Conference finals against the league leaders, the Houston Rockets. After 7 games, Durant and the Warriors emerged as the winners.
In the 2018 NBA Finals, Durant showed the league he had another level to his game. The Warriors took care of business in just four games, sweeping Cleveland. Durant boasted a stat line of 28.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 2.3 blocks in four games, leading the Warriors in points, rebounds and blocks. He was honored with the 2018 Finals MVP award and a second NBA title for his collection.
