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Kevin Durant’s Brooklyn Nets were knocked out by the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals despite him producing some of his best ever playoff performances in the series.
The Brooklyn Nets were the favorites to win the NBA championship this season, but fell short after injuries to the likes of James Harden and Kyrie Irving.
Irving sat out of the crucial game 7, as Durant took control of large parts of the match and finished with a stat line of 48 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. He forced the game into overtime with a late jumper and played a whopping 53 minutes alongside Harden, running out of steam late in the match.
Over the years, Kevin Durant has come good for his teams during the NBA playoffs innumerable times. In this article, we look at five of his best ever Playoff performances until now.
Kevin Durant’s 5 best NBA playoff performances till date
Kevin Durant ended the 14th season of his career with some dazzling performances, and was unlucky to be on the losing side. He has made it to the playoffs ten times, and won the championship twice with the Golden State Warriors. Over the years, fans have been treated to a range of dazzling Durant performances in the playoffs, and we look at five of the very best in this article:
#5 Against Miami Heat, Game 1, 2012 NBA Finals
A 23-year-old Kevin Durant announced himself to the world in what was his first ever appearance in the NBA finals. Along with Russell Westbrook and a young James Harden, OKC Thunder were up against a Miami Heat team that had the likes of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.
But it was Kevin Durant who stole the show in game 1 and ended up top-scoring with 36 points and 8 rebounds on the day. Durant went at 50% from the 3-point zone and shot at an overall 60% to come up with a dream start for the OKC Thunder single-handedly, at the age of 23.
However, as it often happens with LeBron’s teams, the Miami Heat hit back in the coming matches and won the championship series 4-1. Durant got his first taste of the finals through this series.
#4 Against Denver Nuggets, Game 5, 2011 Playoffs round 1
Durant’s ability to rack up points for his teams when it matters the most was in full display during the 2011 Playoffs round 1 series against the Denver Nuggets. The OKC Thunder had cruised to a 3-1 lead in the series, but a resolute Denver Nuggets side, led by Kenyon Martin, were tied at 50-50 at the end of the first half in this game.
In the second, Kevin Durant took charge of proceedings in dominant fashion, producing 16 of his 41 points in the final quarter. The OKC Thunder cruised to a 6-point victory despite Russell Westbrook having an off night with his shooting as Durant produced one of his first memorable playoff performances and won the game for his team single-handedly.
#3 Against Cleveland Cavaliers, Game 5, 2017 NBA Finals
Over the years, Kevin Durant has had multiple memorable playoff showdowns with LeBron James. He was most successful against LeBron during his stint with the Golden State Warriors, and helped his team to a 4-1 win in the 2017 NBA finals after producing a massive 39 points performance on the night.
Durant capped off a highly impressive finals series and was deservedly chosen as the Finals MVP as well. Against a Cavaliers side that also had Kyrie Irving, Durant produced 39 points and 6 rebounds, combining with Stephen Curry for 75. He was the most efficient shooter on the night at 70% and nullified a massive 41-point performance from LeBron James.
#2 Against Milwaukee Bucks, Game 5, Eastern Conference Semifinals 2021
Kevin Durant produced what was one of his most dominant playoff performances during game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Up against a packed Milwaukee Bucks roster with the likes of Giannis, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, Durant was playing alongside an injured James Harden, who struggled with his shooting, making 5 points and 8 assists in the game.
With Kyrie Irving also out, Durant produced a massive 31-point second half and finished with a huge triple double. He had 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists and also had 3 steals and 2 blocks whilst shooting at almost 70% from the field. The Milwaukee Bucks hit back in the final two games, but Durant produced arguably the best individual performance in the 2021 NBA Playoffs so far.
#1 Against LA Clippers, Game 6, 2019 NBA Playoffs round 1
Kevin Durant produced his highest-playoff score of 50 points against the LA Clippers in game 6 of the 2019 playoffs round 1 series. The Warriors were leading the series 3-2, as Durant capped off one of his best ever series with a career high of 50 points.
After a slow start by his standards, Durant averaged over 45 points in the final four games of the series and had an all-round dominant game 5 to see off the LA Clippers. He rushed to a quick start and had effectively won the game for his team by the third quarter. Out of his 50, Durant scored 38 points in the first half, which is till date his highest ever return in a playoff match.
