Key Matchup: Kevin Durant vs. Gordon Hayward
One of the most anticipated matchups in the upcoming series will be the battle between Kevin Durant and Gordon Hayward.
After more than week off, the Golden State Warriors finally have an opponent. The Utah Jazz outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers to win their first round matchup in seven games. The Warriors have been relaxing since their sweep over the Portland Trail Blazers.
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One of the most anticipated matchups in the upcoming series will be the battle between Kevin Durant and Gordon Hayward. Both players are all-stars, good defenders and elite scorers. It can be argued that both players are their teams’ best all-around players. So this matchup may decide the series.
Durant is one of the best players in the game. He is an elite scorer, above average defender and lethal slasher. Durant has the ability to take over a game due to his underrated handles and superior isolation game. He can get to any spot on the court and dominate his opponent. We have not seen much of his isolation game this season due to the Warriors’ motion offense but it is definitely there. The motion offense has allowed even more open jumpers and lanes that Durant has taken advantage of during the flow of the game. He can knock down the occasional open three as well.
Where Durant has shocked many experts has been his defense and more importantly, his rim protection. Before his leg injury, Durant was leading the team in blocked shots while altering many others. When he is not protecting the rim, he is able to keep his opponent in front of him with his length and incredible quickness. If his opponent does blow past him, he is an uncanny ability to chase them down and block their shot.
Durant’s slashing ability is second to none. The Warriors’ ability to spread the court opens up lanes for Durant and takes those opportunities more often than not. Durant has the ability to take one dribble from the three-point arc and get to the rim with ease, resulting in thunderous dunks and trips to the free throw line. At the foul line, Durant is elite, hitting almost 90 percent.
The only issue with Durant’s game is whether or not, he is completely healthy. In late February, Durant suffered a bone bruise and strained MCL after Marcin Gortat threw Zaza Pachulia into Durant’s leg. It seems as though, Durant has recovered from this injury as he returned for the final three games of the regular season.
In the postseason, he suffered another injury, a strained calf in Game 1. He went on to score 32 points in that game but to be cautious, the Warriors kept him out Games 2 and 3. He returned in Game 4, playing limited minutes, scoring ten points. Out of everyone on the Warriors, Durant may have benefited the most from this time off, which is bad news for Jazz fans and Hayward.
Hayward, like Durant, is an all-star. His game is very similar to Durant’s as he is a good outside shooter, great slasher and can create his own shot. Hayward shot almost 45 percent from three-point range in the Clippers series by taking advantage of pick-and-rolls and coming off of staggered screens. The results were wide open jumpers that usually knocked down.
Like Durant, he is great slasher and cutter to the rim. Hayward is fearless going to rim, often resulting in a dunk or a trip to the foul line. His basketball IQ is off the charts as well. He always seems to make the right cut in the Jazz’s meticulous and steady offense. Due to his great slashing and ability to break down the defense, he is able to use his playmaking skills to get guys like Joe Johnson, Joe Ingles and Rodney Hood open looks.
Probably Hayward’s best asset is his isolation play. He has the ability to break down his defender, often hitting step-back jumpers using his strength and length. His step-back jumper is lethal but he can score in the paint as well with a variety of floaters and leaners. He used that ability to constantly get to line against the Clippers, hitting 96 percent, mostly due to their inability to guard the 6’8” small forward.
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The Warriors are not the Clippers and they have the perfect player to guard Hayward. It’s Kevin Durant. Even though Durant and Hayward are very similar players, the one advantage Durant has his defense. Durant can guard Hayward but Hayward can not guard Durant. It’s as simple as that. Hayward will not be able to use his strength and length against Durant because Durant is stronger and longer. Hayward will not be able to hit his step-back jumpers because Durant can challenge his jumper.
With all that said , Durant should dominate his matchup with Hayward and the Warriors should not have much of a problem with the Jazz. The Warriors have too much firepower that will dictate the pace, making the Jazz adjust to their play. With Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green by Durant’s side, this series should go no longer than five games. Most likely, this will end up in a sweep.