The Kevin Garnett mold: A prototype for modern-day NBA forwards

Kevin Durant

2017 NBA Finals - Game Three

Durant is the best of the Garnett mold, except he's uniquely gifted on the offensive end as well. Also listed by the NBA at 6'9 (much taller in reality, though), Durant has a beautifully honed soft touch to his jumper that few men of his height do. Much of this has to do with his build, because a lot of players simply cannot defend a player who can shoot above their heads at will and make a high percentage of those shots.

Like Garnett, Durant can beat his man off the dribble, where the defender has to deal with the dreaded "pull up jumper" possibility of Durant suddenly stopping dead in his tracks and pulling up from anywhere on the court. Durant is averaging 28.6ppg, 7.7 rpg and 6.2 apg with 50% FG and 36% 3PT shooting. Those numbers are liable to cook any defense on any given day in the league.

Durant is also becoming a defensive mastermind. Statistically, his teams have always required him to generate the offense, but given Golden State's plethora of offensive options, Durant no longer has to carry the burden of the team on that end.

Instead, Kerr has used Durant more as a rim-protecting big, where the departures of Zaza, McGee and the inadequacies of rookie Jordan Bell have been exposed. With Draymond out for multiple games this season, Durant has often been the anchor of the defense, and last season he posted a career high of 1.8 blocks per game.

In the 2018 finals, Steph Curry spent multiple possessions guarding LeBron at the top of the key, but James was noticeably hesitating to blow past him for thunderous dunks. The reason for that is excepting Curry, everyone on the roster was capable of catching up to him, and Durant spent that time near the baseline where he could be close enough to help out on defensive assignments.