After waiting five long years to get back to the NBA Finals, Kevin Durant wasn’t about to hesitate when the stakes were at their highest. Back in the championship round in 2017 – his first season with the Golden State Warriors –  Durant left little room for a second consecutive Cleveland Cavaliers Finals comeback, boldly drilling a monumental bucket to take a stranglehold on Game 3 and the series. After corralling a defensive rebound in the midst of a pivotal late-game run, Durant took the ball himself and made history over LeBron James with 45 seconds remaining. The clutch shot turned a two-point deficit into a one-point lead that the Warriors would not relinquish, and Durant’s 31 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four treys secured the unforgettable June 7, 2017 victory. The Warriors would go on to win the series in five games, the first of two straight titles and Finals MVP awards for Durant.

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant buries monumental three to secure comeback in 2017 Finals

Kevin Durant’s start was so hot that it all but finished the LA Clippers’ season before the halftime buzzer. The Golden State Warriors failed to eliminate the Clips despite Durant's 45 points two nights earlier in Game 5, so the star sniper decided to one-up himself with a legendary Game 6 closeout performance in the first-round playoff series. Durant kicked things off with an authoritative one-handed transition dunk, and his scorching first half also included four 3-pointers among his 12 made field goals. Whether he was converting triples from atop the key, difficult and-1 turnaround jumpers or runners in the lane, Durant’s vintage heat check game represented his most explosive postseason performance in an iconic career full of them. Once the dust settled, Durant had posted a playoff career-high 50 points on 15 of 26 from the field, 6 of 14 from downtown and 14 of 15 from the free throw line. He shot 12 of 17 before halftime alone as Golden State built an insurmountable 19-point lead, with his 38-point first-half eruption matching the second-most points ever scored in one half in postseason history. Durant added six rebounds and five assists in the 129-110 victory on April 26, 2019 as the Warriors won the series 4-2, with the two-time champion averaging 35 points across the six games. 

Kevin Durant erupts for 50, including 38-point half, in 2019 Playoffs

Marketplace

Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant