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Mark Cuban wants to play Kevin Durant for All-Star spot

By Phil Watson

Nov 22, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is interviewed before the game between the Houston Rockets and the Mavericks at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 22, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is interviewed before the game between the Houston Rockets and the Mavericks at the Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder laid down a 1-on-1 challenge after his All-Star selection was criticized. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wants in.

Having mastered the sharks, Mark Cuban wants to take on a Durantula.

After his selection to the Western Conference All-Star team was criticized, reigning MVP Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder told The Oklahoman that anyone who wanted his spot could have it.

“Whoever want my spot can play be one-on-one for it,” Durant said.

Smiling as he said it, Durant may not have been entirely serious about that challenge.

But Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is ready to go all-in.

I guess the first question would have to be something along the lines of this: Wait, what?! Mark Cuban beat Dirk Nowitzki in a game of one-on-one???

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It’s hard to imagine that happening unless Dirk were placed under some severe handicaps, like having to play with both hands tied behind his back and only being able to shoot soccer-style off his head.

And even then, I’m not so sure I still don’t like Nowitzki’s chances.

It’s been an injury-plagued season for Durant, to be sure. After he missed 16 games in his first seven seasons, Durant has been out for 27 of Oklahoma City’s 50 games in 2014-15.

His absences with a broken foot, a sprained ankle and, most recently, a toe problem have contributed to the Thunder’s less-than-stellar 25-25 record, currently good only for 10th place in the Western Conference.

When he’s been healthy enough to play, Durant has not been the same player he was in 2013-14. His scoring average of 25.2 is almost seven points a night off his 32 points per game average of a season ago and he’s also averaging 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists—also significantly lower than 2013-14.

But he’s also playing almost five minutes less per game and he’s still shooting it at a .500/.371/.857 clip.

Normalizing to a per-36-minute rate, KD is averaging 26.9 points, down from 29.9 last season, but his rebounding is actually up and his shot attempts are roughly identical.

Where the dropoff has come is at the foul line. After getting to the line 9.9 times per game last season, he’s averaging just 6.8 attempts this time around.

His player efficiency rating has also “suffered.” In 2013-14, he led the NBA with an insanely good PER of 29.8 (the average NBA rating is 15). This year, he’s “down” to a really, really awesome PER of 27.1

Did he deserve to be picked? That can be debated. Are the fans going to be happy he’s there? More than likely.

And Mark Cuban be warned: Playing one-on-one with Durant might be considerably different than playing Dirk.

You don’t sign KD’s checks.

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