'He's So Smooth With It': Kevin Durant Praises Luka Doncic's Masterful Offense
The Dallas Mavericks outlasted the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 7 to get a crunch-time victory, 96-94. It was the second win over Kevin Durant for Luka Doncic this season.
In the last contest, Doncic and Durant were going toe-to-toe, as the two superstars were trading baskets all game long before Durant missed a clutch free throw to essentially clinch the game for Dallas.
Doncic finished with 36 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block on 11-22 from the field, including 5-9 from deep and 9-12 from the free-throw line. Durant followed up with a respectable 26 points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block on 10-of-20 from the floor.
On Friday's episode of "The ETCs with Kevin Durant", Durant spoke on his matchup with Doncic, giving praise to No. 77 on his growth, their matchups, and the love for his game.
"He's so smooth with it. I love his game," Durant said of Doncic. "For somebody who has the ball in his hands as much as he does and he controls the whole game with his pace, he gets a good shot up every time down and that's rare for somebody who's gonna have the ball all game."
Durant ended up switching onto Doncic and defending him for the majority of the second-half on Monday, as Doncic seemed to have his way with the likes of Ben Simmons and Royce O'Neale.
"I was watching some of his film and his ballhandling, getting to the rim, breaking guys down in the midrange now – a few years ago, it felt like it was only 3s and layups," Durant said. "Now, he's posting up, shooting fadeaways. A lot of post work, a lot of middy work along with the 3s and lays, so he's just made himself into a complete offensive player. So being able to guard him is only going to make me better. I want to take on that challenge."
Doncic only defended Durant one-on-one in transition or when switched onto him from a screen, as Dorian Finney-Smith and Reggie Bullock took charge of attempting to slow down Durant. But KD wishes he and Luka had a few more face-offs.
"I wish we could have more of a one-on-one battle in some of these instances," Durant said. "He guarded me a few times ... but I wish it was a consistent, every possession type of thing."
Well, with both matchups already in the books for the 2022-23 season, we'll have to wait for next season for another 'one-on-one battle' between these two stars ... unless they meet in the NBA Finals, if you're a believer in Dallas and Brooklyn flipping a switch later in the year.
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