Mainstream rivalries such Celtics-Lakers and Warriors-Cavaliers often have fans overlooking repeated battles that are just as intense between two teams. Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies from the early 2010s was one such rivalry. Kevin Durant and Tony Allen recently revisited this iconic matchup on the latest episode of the Out The Mud Podcast. During the conversation, KD also shared how much he despised facing the Grizzlies during this era.
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Tony Allen left a lasting impression on Durant, who reflected on how challenging it was to face Allen’s relentless defense. This often disrupted his rhythm and forced him into uncomfortable situations on the court.
“Most of the time I feel like oh this an open shot here this motherf**ker coming flying out of nowhere. Then that just f**k with you mentally. If I get a pin down and I might be slightly open, here you come out of nowhere, good help might get your hand in there… TA was just good at just straight strictly one-on-one defense too,” the Slim Reaper said.
Durant also highlighted the collective effort of the “Grit and Grind” Grizzlies to contain his scoring outbursts, acknowledging the entire team’s efforts.
“I just hated playing against y’all cause I knew everybody was focused on me coming off them screens a pick and roll and then,” KD concluded.
Durant’s frustrations with having to go up against Allen are understandable. Kobe Bryant himself has stated that the ‘First Team All-Defense’ guard was the toughest man he’s ever had defending him. TA’s obsession with film combined with his natural, gifted abilities on that end of the floor made him an absolute menace to go up against.
The unabashed physicality he played with on the defensive side of the ball always irritated players on the wing. He was exceptionally good at breaking through screens to stay on his man, had lateral quickness to stay with quicker guards, and kept active hands in passing lanes. Not to mention that he hustled and dove for loose balls and rebounds like no other.
Allen also returned the praise for Durant, naming him the toughest player he ever had to guard, second only to Kobe Bryant.
“After Kobe, you the hardest motherf**ker I had to guard bro. It was it wasn’t like ‘no all right, okay I was playing good defense’, but you was getting that 30,” Allen said.
Durant however, isn’t a scrub by any means. Being an anomaly on the offensive end with his combination of size and skill helps when going up against perhaps the greatest perimeter defender of the early 2010s.
Despite primarily guarding KD in their matchups, Durant managed to average 27.2 points over 43 games head to head games. When it comes to the Playoffs, they share quite a bit of history as the Grizzlies gentleman swept a shorthanded Thunder in 2013 while the latter returned the favor by sweeping them in the first round of the 2014 postseason.
Safe to say that those tough battles against such a physical team led to KD’s offensive repertoire only being enhanced as he chalked it up to ‘experience’.
