The NBA title is the most coveted honor in the sport of basketball. Legacies and dynasties are built and destroyed in the pursuit of this trophy. G.O.A.T. debates revolve around this trophy. Today, we’ll look at how Kevin Durant built his legacy by how many NBA titles he has won.
Kevin Durant was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics and played his rookie season for them in the 2007-08 season before they turned into the Oklahoma City Thunder. He played there for 9 seasons. In that time the Thunder made the Western Conference Finals 4 times and lost 3 of them. In the 2011-12 playoffs, they swept the Dallas Mavericks in the first round and beat the Lakers in 5 in the second round.
The San Antonio Spurs was the last hurdle for the Thunder to reach the NBA finals. The Spurs took games 1 and 2 and it seemed like they were onto the next round already. But the Thunder pulled a U-turn with the series and proceeded to win the next 4 games to become Western Conference Champions.
However, in the NBA finals, they come up against a success-hungry LeBron James. And the Thunder just could not compete. They lost in 5 games. And that was the closest he ever got to winning an NBA Title at Thunder.
Ring chasing in Golden State?
In his last season at the Thunder, they played the 73-9 Warriors in the Conference Finals. The Thunder were up 3-1 in the series and we’re just one game away from getting a rematch with the LeBron, this time in Cleveland. However, they went on to choke that lead lose in game 7.
This was the most embarrassing thing to happen to Kevin Durant. But instead of taking this as motivation for next season, he ended up joining the team that beat him. It was labeled as the weakest move in NBA history and all parity in the league came to an end.
However as much as this hurt his image, his professional career greatly benefited from this. In his first postseason, the Warriors were so dominant that it was not even funny. They swept their way to the finals and humiliated LeBron’s Cavaliers in 5 games. He picked up his first NBA title and Finals MVP.
In the 2017-18 postseason, Kevin Durant won his second title after sweeping the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals and picked up his 2nd Finals MVP. In those 2 seasons, he was simultaneously the best and most hated player in the world. He averaged 29 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists in those 2 Playoffs and was undoubtedly the reason LeBron could not win another title for Cleveland.
The End of Kevin Durant and his title run
It had proven impossible for any team to be able to stop this overpowered Warriors team. This team legitimately scared LeBron from Cleveland to Los Angeles. Teams tried everything to slow them down but the Warriors were too good.
To make matters worse, the Warriors signed Demarcus Cousins, making the scariest starting 5 of all time. Whilst this all was ensuing, the Kings of the North just traded away their best player for a one-year rental of Kawhi Leonard. No one believed he would stay making the Raptors big-time losers in this trade.
However, when the playoffs rolled around the Warriors took on the Rockets in the 2nd round. Even though the Warriors beat the Rockets in that series, Kevin Durant injured himself in game 5 and it did not look like he was going to come back.
The cracks begin to show. The Warriors then swept the Trail Blazers and met the Raptors in the NBA Finals. Toronto had a lot to prove and so far they were exceeding all expectations by just being there.
Without Kevin Durant, the Warriors had no answer for the Klaw. 4 games in and the Warriors were down 3-1 with all hope lost. But then in game 5, Kevin Durant risked it all played before he had fully healed.
Durant played just 11 minutes on one leg before completely tearing his Achilles. But in those 11 minutes, he scored 11 points and gave the Warriors spirit which helped them beat the Raptors after KD left the game.
His performance in game 5 cleared his image that he had tarnished by joining the Warriors. However, in Game 6, Klay Thompson tore his ACL. With all this talent gone, the Raptors became the Champions of the world.
How many NBA Titles has Kevin Durant won the NBA title?
Trying to put the entire success of one of the best NBA scorers of all time in one article is next to impossible. You could, very easily, make 5 season Netflix show on the full story. But at the end of the day, Kevin Durant is an all-time great because he’s won it all.
With 2 NBA Titles, 2 Finals MVPs, 1 MVP, 9x All-NBA, multiple scoring titles, the list is seemingly never-ending. That’s what always keeps him in the conversation with LeBron as the face of the NBA no matter what impossible records LeBron breaks.
After Golden State, Kevin Joined the Nets where so far he has not added to his tally of championships. He’s won the NBA title twice but got close many times. Will he be able to win title number 3 with the Nets before he retires?
