Durant also has had time to look back at the Thunder’s bitter ending last season.
Being disposed of by eventual champion Dallas in the Western Conference finals was understandable, but the Thunder appeared to show cracks in chemistry when Russell Westbrook and Durant displayed confusion about leadership and offensive responsibilities. For the first time since the team moved to the Dust Belt in 2008, the Thunder felt the scrutiny reserved for elite teams, and the 23-year-old Durant was the primary target.
“Execution is the key, especially in the playoffs,’’ said Durant, who averaged 28.6 points and 8.2 rebounds in 17 postseason games. “Execution, finishing plays, and always playing hard every possession.
“We learned a big lesson last year and I think that it will help us towards being better this year. It will be a natural progression.
“I think experience is the biggest teacher and I think if we continue to stay on that path that we told ourselves to always keep working and stay humble, the sky is the limit for us.’’
Durant said the Oklahoma City players met during the summer for an organized practice, and the next scheduled team workout is tomorrow.
The emergence of Westbrook as a scoring point guard appeared to cause a blurring of roles on the team. On several occasions during the playoffs, the former UCLA guard bypassed perhaps the higher-percentage pass for a long jumper or runner. Durant appeared to be open on a handful of those attempts, prompting coach Scott Brooks to bench Westbrook for the fourth quarter of Game 2 against Dallas.
Rumors of dissension emerged between Durant, the two-time All-Star, and Westbrook, who has had his share of brilliant scoring games.
“I think that was kind of overblown,’’ Durant said. “But people don’t realize [how tough the playoffs are] once you’re there, and that was the first time there.
“It was kind of different for us as far as getting that far in the playoffs - we’ve never played that deep into the season - but I think we handled it well.
