Mastering footwork a big key for Durant

OAKLAND, CALIF. — The move looks so simple, yet so precise. The move remains so basic, yet so distinguishable. The move might not even spark many to notice, but Kevin Durant does.

For Durant to score nearly any time he wanted to and any place he wanted to, he knew at a young age he would have to master a certain skill. Beyond having a sharp shooting stroke and a crafty pumpfake, Durant also repeatedly perfected his footwork after practice and before games.

“I knew I could shoot the ball well from anywhere on the court,” Durant said last week. “I just tried to figure out different ways to get into my shot.”

And so with the Warriors playing the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals beginning today, Durant’s footwork will likely play a factor in how well he can manage his postseason scoring average (28.7 points per game) and efficiency (49.3 percent). It will also likely dictate if Durant can improve on his low 3-point shooting (27.9 percent) that he and Warriors coach Steve Kerr have downplayed.

Durant faces yet another playoff opponent that will throw multiple and various defenders at him that come in all shapes and sizes. Perhaps, Rockets forward Trevor Ariza guards him. Or Luc Mbah a Moute. Or PJ Tucker. Perhaps all of the above. Or none at all.

“They do a good job of switching,” Durant noted. “When you switch, it takes a lot of teams out of their sets.”

To take Durant out of his sets during the playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans threw defenders at him both big and small. After San Antonio used smaller guards such as Dejounte Murray, Patty Mills and Bryn Forbes, New Orleans utilized Jrue Holiday. While the Spurs loaded up on Durant with Rudy Gay and Kyle Anderson, the Pelicans leaned on Nikola Mirotic and Anthony Davis. That does not account for the constant double teaming Durant faced.

That left Durant having to make varying decisions on whether he should look to score, attack or facilitate.

“It’s about playing the game,” Durant said. “It’s a chessboard when you’re out there playing basketball. You just try to figure out the best moves.”

Durant’s best moves involve using his footwork.

After studying Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady use that tool to increase their odds of scoring, Durant “always just tried to emulate it.” How? Nothing fancy. He worked on jabbing and cutting as he completed his shooting workout. He embraced the repetition. He paid attention to the detail. Swish and repeat.

“Every time I missed the shot or didn’t do the move right, I just tried to do it over again to see if I can get it,” Durant said. “If I didn’t get it, then I’d go to the next move and tried to figure that out. My mind was always trying to figure out ways to get better and work on my jump shot. I just tried to keep growing in that area.”

Safe to say Durant has grown in that area. He ranks 36th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list (20,913 points). He has scored at least 20 points in 17 consecutive postseason games.

“You want to add as many tricks as you can to your game. But at the same time, know what you want to get to,” Durant said. “Your creativity comes out as you play.”