NBA
Kevin Durant is the 3rd player over the last 25 years to score 20+ points in a half at least 60 times, he joins LeBron James and Kobe Bryant
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated08 May 2023
Matt Ishbia and the Phoenix Suns knew the player they were trading for when they acquired Kevin Durant. He’s one of the most gifted scorers in NBA history and shows up in the postseason. Durant is the 3rd player over the last 25 years to score 20+ points in a half at least 60 times. The only other players to do so are LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.
Last night in Game 4, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker scored 36 points and carried the Suns offensively. Phoenix lost the depth they had on their roster when they traded for Durant, but his production has been able to outweigh the depth they don’t have anymore.
Phoenix picked up the 129-124 win at home last night to even the series at two games a piece. NBA betting sites have the Suns at (+172) to win Game 5 on the road.
Kevin Durant is the 3rd player over the last 25 years to score 20+ points in a half at least 60 times in the playoffs.
The other 2?
LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. pic.twitter.com/li8W4TbZUP— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 8, 2023
Kevin Durant has scored over 35+ points in his last two playoff games
Thirty-four-year-old Kevin Durant is still in the prime of his career and plays at an elite level when healthy. This is the second postseason in a row that the thirteen-time all-star is leading the league in minutes per game. He’s currently averaging (43.0) minutes through Phoenix’s first nine postseason games.
Against the Nuggets last night, Kevin Durant led all players with 11 rebounds. He also had 36 points, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Durant also moved past the legendary Jerry West for eighth place on the all-time postseason scoring list with 1,623.
Since being traded to the Phoenix Suns, Durant has played in 17 games. That includes the nine postseason games in 2023. His sample size with the team is limited, but they are 14-3 in the 17 games Durant has played in. Devin Booker and Durant have been the one-two punch that Phoenix was missing a few years ago. They sacrificed some depth in the trade with Brooklyn, but KD’s production in the postseason has outweighed that.
