18 games into the 2016-17 NBA season, Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant has a strong argument for league MVP. He’s scoring at a level of efficiency that has never been seen before, and the Warriors are 16-2. However, his teammate Andre Iguodala believes that Durant has much more in store. From USA Today’s Sam Amick:
“KD has been just about as good as you can possibly be (but) I don’t think he’s really scratched the surface as far as what he can do,” Iguodala said this week after the Warriors improved to a league-best 16-2 with a win over the Atlanta Hawks. “He’s kind of holding back on everyone else, so I’m looking forward for him to step on that pedal as we continue.”
It seems impossible that somebody who is having one of the best seasons ever could improve even further, but that is exactly what Iguodala expects to happen:
“I’m telling you, he’s got a crazy arsenal,” Iguodala continued. “He’s one of the best scorers of all time as far as finding a way to score. It’s (like) peeling layers – it’s kind of like an onion. It’s crazy. It’s amazing. You guys will see it, and you’ll enjoy it … I think sometimes he’s trying to make sure he doesn’t shoot too many shots, but we’re trying to let him know that it’s impossible for him to shoot too many shots.”
This season, Durant is averaging 27.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game. He’s shooting absurdly well — 57% from the field and 44.2% from beyond the arc.
Only Anthony Davis (32.5) has a higher PER than Durant’s mark of 30.7. Only Patty Mills (68.5%), who is shooting the ball far less than Durant, has a higher true shooting percentage than Durant’s mark of 68.1%. Durant also ranks second in the NBA in offensive rating (128.6) and leads the NBA in win shares with 4.1.
