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Darnell Mayberry: Coach Mark Jackson: “When I look at Kevin Durant, you look at a guy you want to point your kids to and say ‘That’s how you carry yourself.’" Twitter @DarnellMayberry

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

Kevin Durant finished one assist shy of a triple-double and it’s probably a good thing that he didn’t get it. Would have been cheap had he recorded it. That’s because of the way he would have recorded it. He was desperately trying to get it, and if you were watching the flow of the game and, more importantly, how the scoreboard was changing in Utah’s favor as he tried his best for one final assist, you saw it was costing the Thunder. It just wasn’t the smartest decision. Of course it’s no big deal now. The Thunder won and Durant didn’t get it. It would have been more impressive had he gotten it in the flow, which, ironically, every one of his points, rebounds and assists came in. Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

Durant on not getting it: “It’s all good, brother. We won the basketball game.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant was named Western Conference Players of the Month for March. In March, James helped the Heat to a league-best 17-1 record, averaging 25.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists while shooting 53 percent from the field. South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James, Kevin Durant 

Two years later, as a serious threat to win his fourth straight scoring title, Durant now looks at his entire body of work, not just at the league's list of scoring leaders. “I think the media looks at it more,” Durant said before the Thunder's 103-80 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. “I just try to be solid every game, shooting good shots.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

Darnell Mayberry: Kevin Durant didn't "copy" LeBron James by hugging that fan to the ground after he hit the halfcourt shot. The fan motioned for KD & KD went Twitter @DarnellMayberry

Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James, Kevin Durant 

When the clock ticked inside of what could best be described as a harrowing final hour of contract negotiations between Scott Brooks and the Oklahoma City Thunder last summer, the thing that ultimately kept the team's coveted free agent coach from now pacing the sidelines of the Portland Trail Blazers was a text message. It came from Kevin Durant. “It was like the day before they got something done,” Durant said. “I think that day was the toughest.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Coaching, Scott Brooks 

The message moved Brooks, who had been tied up in tense on-again, off-again talks that had put his future with the Thunder in jeopardy. “During negotiations, it can be stressful at times,” Durant said. “One day it looks like something's going to get done and then the next it might not. So I reached out to him and just told him I loved him and let me know what happens.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Coaching, Scott Brooks 

John Denton: .@Kevin Durant on #Magic GM Rob Hennigan whom he got to know during their time in OKC: "I am a big fan of the Magic & I want to see them do well" Twitter @JohnDenton555

Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Kevin Durant, Rob Hennigan 

John Denton: #Thunder @Kevin Durant : "I really believe in (#Magic GM) Rob Hennigan. I believe what he is doing with these guys will push them over the top." Twitter @JohnDenton555

Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Kevin Durant, Rob Hennigan 

“Without Nick we wouldn’t be who we are,” praised Durant. “Just his words, his leadership, his play, how he sacrifices his body. He knows his role. He plays it to a T. And he’s tough. He has all the toughness in the world. I’m just honored to play with a player like that, who’s selfless and doesn’t really care about nothing but winning. He makes it easier for everybody.” Red Bull

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Nick Collison 

Another display of chemistry between Durant and Westbrook that some refuse to see was on display tonight. It came when Durant was chewing up the Grizzlies and leading the Thunder’s third-quarter rally. KD had scored 13 straight and from the bench Westbrook was shouting to Jackson to “get the ball to KD.” When Jackson did, Durant nailed a bank shot that gave the Thunder its first lead of the night at 57-56. Right before an ensuing pair of Grizzlies foul shots, Westbrook then walked up to Durant in front of the Thunder bench and said “don’t stop.” Oklahoman

Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook 

Kevin Durant on the Nuggets: "It’s easy to fall into that trap. That’s what they do. They get up and down the court. Our game is a little different. We want to run, but we want to run off of our defense. Those guys run off makes, misses of course and turnovers. But they continually run. They pass the ball well and they score a lot in the paint. So we fell into the trap and we couldn’t play that game with them.” Oklahoman

Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant 

“In high school, he was a 6-11 shooter and he could dribble.” Lawson recalled. “I was like, ‘Man, it's going to be scary once he puts weight on and gets a post-up game.' That was my junior year. My senior year, he had post-up game. I think his first 15 points were off the post when we played him. I was thinking, ‘Man, he going to be scary good, one of the top players in the league.' He's showing that now.” Lawson has even bought into Nike's “KD IS NOT NICE” promotion. “KD has grown a lot,” Lawson said. “He does have a mean streak now. Back when he was younger, he'd get bumped and he wouldn't say too much. Now, he has a mean streak. That comes with him growing up and becoming a leader. The greats also had a mean streak, like MJ (Michael Jordan), Kobe (Bryant) and everybody like that. It's good that he's getting that.” Oklahoman

Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Ty Lawson 

Last October, Lawson agreed to a four-year, $48-million contract extension with Denver that begins next season. Durant is in the second season of a five-year maximum deal that will pay him roughly $94 million through 2015-16. “I'm happy that he signed his deal, I'm happy that he's playing well in Denver and he's always going to remain a friend,” Durant said. Oklahoman

Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Ty Lawson 

Does Bryant resent the fact that he’s no longer considered the best player in the league? “Resentment? Why would there be?” Bryant asked. “Well, I’ve seen that happen with other players that have come before me where there’s a public chatter about who is better and it creates some type of friction, but I’ve never played for that. I’ve never played for the attention or the notoriety. I’ve played for one thing, and that’s results. Winning. From that perspective, I’m able to sit back and appreciate the talents of LeBron or KD and so on.” HoopsWorld

Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant 

Durant and DeMarre Carroll got into it again tonight. Carroll hip-checked Durant with 5:47 left in the third quarter. Durant took exception. Then Westbrook took exception. Westbrook ran over and elbowed Carroll in the chest. Those two then started talking smack. The irony of the whole thing was that Carroll did to Durant exactly what he didn’t appreciate Durant doing to his buddy Burks back in Utah a month ago. Check the 2:30 mark here. Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, DeMarre Carroll 

Durant: “I was just trying to get my teammate away from it all. I seen Russ over there by himself. That was the first thing I was concerned with. It was a hard foul. That’s it. I did the same thing to one of their guys in Utah so I couldn’t be too upset about it. I was just running over there to get Russell. I seen him in a see of blue of Utah guys. So I just tried to go over there and get him out of that because I knew he came to my rescue there as well.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, DeMarre Carroll 

Durant: “Ain’t nobody gon fight out here first off. It wasn’t that hard of a foul. I’m glad I was able to get two free throws out of it. But other than that I was just trying to go over there and get Russ.” Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, DeMarre Carroll 

A lady tripped and fell while walking behind the Thunder’s bench at halftime. As the teams were warming up for the second half, Durant stopped shooting and ran over to help the lady up. He beat arena security and the medics there. Nice gentlemanly gesture there. Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant