Isiah Thomas backs up Kevin Durant in dispute against armchair expert
Aside from being recognized for his basketball prowess, Kevin Durant is also an NBA athlete who finds the time to respond to fan comments on X, formerly known as Twitter. When he was randomly debating with a fan on Tuesday, Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas backed up Durant's stance on a topic.
Having a reliable coach bodes well for the success of a basketball team, especially in a professional league. However, the Suns star argued that there are times when players must be allowed to thrive on the court by playing freely and assessing each possession based on instinct and IQ.
Thomas added to Kevin Durant's comments by highlighting the advantage gained if a team strikes a balance in that regard to give them an edge over their opponent.
"When a team plays with 'Perfect Randomness,' the offense will always have the advantage," Thomas posted, "because of the required critical thinking skills the connectivity of movement and knowing your teammates."
X user PsychoNetsFan (@PsychoNetsFan) talked about that kind of style as asking too much from players who are not of the same caliber as Kevin Durant.
The process is achieved once a unit gets accustomed to his/her teammates which builds strong chemistry. It opens the door to knowing the strengths and tendencies of one another while allowing room for improvement and growth as one collective ball club.
Kevin Durant discussed the "beauty of basketball" in response to an NBA fan
Kevin Durant pointed out the simplicity of letting athletes play without much restraint as there are times when the game of basketball can be viewed as a sport with a lot of intricacies. While not completely disregarding the fans comments, Durant argued that sometimes it bodes well to let the game come naturally.
His response was aimed at X user Tyler Relph (@TylerRelph10).
"The beauty of basketball is not calling all them sets," Durant posted, "but playing off instincts and letting the talent dictate the game ... getting out in transition, driving and kicking, playing random basketball. You want a trick play every possession like it's football. That's not why our game is beautiful."
Finding the right balance between playing systematically and freely can be easier said than done. Several factors play into it such as having the kind of players with the right mindset and a proficient coaching staff with the necessary knowledge to make it all work.
During Team USA's 110-84 win against Serbia last Sunday in the 2024 Paris Olympics, there were moments when everything just clicked for the stacked basketball squad. Aside from the near triple-double performance of LeBron James, Kevin Durant's triumphant 23 points in his return was as electric as any other outing that fans have witnessed in the past.
The premier NBA scorer shot 8-of-9 from the field, including his 5-of-5 shooting from three-point range.