Patrick Beverley has never been shy about speaking his mind, and on his latest podcast, he delivered a bold take that’s sure to spark debate among NBA fans across generations. The veteran guard declared that Kevin Durant would dominate Larry Bird’s era to an almost absurd degree, averaging 50 points per game.
"Yeah, I don't think it's close. KD, what are we talking about? If Kevin Durant was playing when Larry Bird was playing, he would average 50. Kevin Durant would have been unstoppable. Who are you going to put on him?"
"Back then, the four was like a traditional four. This is the thing I don’t think older players and younger players understand. If the game was more physical, what do you think we would do, just quit? Nah. We were going to find a way."
"OK, cool. We would change. We were smart enough, our IQ was high enough that if they were playing physical, we’d adapt."
"What makes people think that if the physicality had changed, players now couldn’t play in it? Like we would just die?"
"No. Steph couldn’t play in this era because it was too physical? No, he would have found a way to be successful, just like he’s finding a way to be successful at 37 years old, 36 years old, all the way back to when he got drafted. We’ll find a way."
"And I know all the stories, Pat. Like, they used to put Black dudes on Larry Bird because he was disrespected if you guarded him with a white guy. He would say, you better put your Black man on me. I understand that."
"But when you talk about a handle at that size, the ability to play pick and roll, and on the other end his ability to rim protect and get blocks, what do you mean? It’s Kevin Durant. Like he said, man, I’m Kevin Durant."
Beverley’s point centers on Durant’s unique combination of size, skill, and versatility. At 7 feet tall with elite ball-handling, a deadly jumper, and the ability to play in multiple spots on the floor, Durant is a matchup nightmare even in today’s NBA. In the 1980s, Beverley believes, defenders would have stood no chance.
That statement cuts at the heart of one of the most common arguments between old-school and modern basketball fans: whether today’s stars could thrive in the more physical NBA of decades past.
Legends like Bird, Magic Johnson, and Isiah Thomas played in an era when hand-checking was legal, hard fouls were common, and the game was defined by rugged defense in the paint.
But Beverley insists that great players, regardless of era, would figure it out. He used Stephen Curry as another example, pointing out how many claim he wouldn’t have survived in the ’80s or ’90s because of physical play. Yet Curry, now entering his late 30s, continues to thrive in today’s game by adapting his style year after year. Beverley sees no reason Durant wouldn’t do the same.
The comparison to Bird makes the take even spicier. Bird, a three-time MVP and one of the most iconic players of the ’80s, is often celebrated not just for his shooting and passing but also his toughness and trash talk.
He famously demanded that opponents put their best defenders on him, sometimes even saying it was disrespectful if a white player guarded him. Beverley acknowledged that lore but argued that Durant’s skill set makes the discussion unfair.
Beverley’s comments will no doubt stir fans of Bird, who carried the Celtics to three championships and carved out a legacy as one of the greatest forwards in history. But they also underscore how highly Durant is regarded by today’s players. Despite injuries and changes in the game, Durant’s blend of size and scoring remains nearly unprecedented.
Whether or not KD could average 50 a night in Bird’s era is debatable, but Beverley made one thing clear: in his eyes, Durant is a level above.
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