Kevin Durant

[MyMeloMyMan]

Lebron was better this year for sure, but Sam Presti is not walking through that door for the Heat. The Thunder will be the team of the forseeable future...and there is nothing Lebron can do about that.

Lebron will have to hope to get a title later in his career...hoping for a Durant or Harden injury..

 

[Knicks411]

Maybe Durant will get suspended for gambling, I mean, want to play baseball for a few years

 

[OttoinGrotto]

If you want to take KD over LeBron...no issue with that. But your MVP comment is off base (at least for this season).

LeBron averaged: 27 pts, 8 rebs, 6 assists, 1.9 steals and shot 53% from the field.

That's the second best complete season in the NBA since Jordan in 88-89.

KD was also exceptional: 28 pts, 8 rebs, 4 assists, 1.3 steals and shot 49% from the field.

The Thunder had one more win than the Heat and LeBron was 9-1 without Wade (who some here maintain is actually the best player/1st fiddle on the Heat). So by that logic, the Heat played 10 games without their #1 star in Wade and they were 9-1.

On top of that, LeBron was 1st Team All-Defensive Team (and the top vote getter) and Durant did not even receive a vote.

So while it's definitely really close #'s wise, there are other parts to his game that make LeBron a better player right now. That could obviously change and Durant is _awesome_. But LeBron was the MVP this season.

44cuse

I think this is interesting because MVP doesn't necessarily mean best or better player.

FWIW, I think Chris Paul should have won the MVP, because I believe that Paul's presence meant more to the Clippers success than any other individual player mattered to their team's success.

 

[cliftonparksufan]

Do agree with this.



Ahhh, I hate Fisher! Dude is so annoying. Made some big shots last night though. Got no problem with Durant.

Fisher is the only reason I won't root for OKC. I've been on the Durant bandwagon since season one. Glad to see others have come out of their cave. Welcome to the NBA folks.

 

[44cuse]

Lebron was better this year for sure, but Sam Presti is not walking through that door for the Heat. The Thunder will be the team of the forseeable future...and there is nothing Lebron can do about that.

Lebron will have to hope to get a title later in his career...hoping for a Durant or Harden injury..

Yep, that's exactly right. Seems like everyone is gravitating to a couple of theories:

1. The Heats role players aren't good enough
2. Bosh is dominated by KG (which he is)
3. The Heat don't have the "killer desire" to win

Personally, I think it's #3 and eerily similar to SU. I don't think SU plays "tough" or with much emotion and I don't think the Heat do either. Methodical is how I would describe them and I'm not convinced methodical wins championships (I know, I know...see: Spurs, San Antonio).

44cuse

 

[44cuse]

I think this is interesting because MVP doesn't necessarily mean best or better player.

FWIW, I think Chris Paul should have won the MVP, because I believe that Paul's presence meant more to the Clippers success than any other individual player mattered to their team's success.

I know we can't talk about advanced statistics on this board, but I'll throw this out there. My immediate reaction to your post was that using that standard of measure, I would have thought Kevin Love would have been the MVP. I think he means more to Minnesota than Paul does to the Clips.

Using Win Shares as the measure it's:

1. LeBron: 14.45
2. Paul: 12.65
3. Durant: 12.22
4. Love: 9.98

Back to your comment though...I go back and forth on the definition of MVP. Sometimes I think it means as you described it (most valuable to his team), and other times I think it just means "best player". This season I tend to think LeBron was more valuable (just by going 9-1 without Wade) than anyone else. But I don't really know how the Clips would have done without Paul vs how the Heat would have done without Wade.

I saw more Clippers games this year than Heat games and what Chris Paul does is amazing. Truly an elite level, position defining PG. He is SUPER fun to watch.

44cuse

 

[PoppyHart]

I think this is interesting because MVP doesn't necessarily mean best or better player.

FWIW, I think Chris Paul should have won the MVP, because I believe that Paul's presence meant more to the Clippers success than any other individual player mattered to their team's success.

I say Rondo.

 

[Knicks411]

I think KG is more valuable than Rondo.

Also, the Miami OKC thing is a bit of a red herring; they are only going to face each other in the finals, if they do play. OKC definitely seems like the team of the west for the next few years, as Miami seems like the team of the east, but considering they haven't even played yet I don't think we should be crowning either team. To put it another way, 12 months ago Miami had just beaten the Bulls in5 games and pretty much everyone was saying they were a new dynasty.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

I think KG is more valuable than Rondo.

Also, the Miami OKC thing is a bit of a red herring; they are only going to face each other in the finals, if they do play. OKC definitely seems like the team of the west for the next few years, as Miami seems like the team of the east, but considering they haven't even played yet I don't think we should be crowning either team. To put it another way, 12 months ago Miami had just beaten the Bulls in5 games and pretty much everyone was saying they were a new dynasty.

There is no stopping the Thunder, and I think the Heat are going to struggle to get to even 1 more Finals together. They aren't getting there this year. I love Lebron as a player, but I don't believe he really has that alpha dog/must-win-at-all-costs mindset that guys like Jordan and Kobe did. I don't think Lebron goes home and loses sleep over losses...I really don't. He is more concentrated on expanding his brand. I still believe that the fans care WAY more than 95% of the players do about the outcome of these games, as a whole. (Cut to clip of Rob Gronkowski dancing and partying hours after SB loss).

 

[NovaOrange]

If you want to take KD over LeBron...no issue with that. But your MVP comment is off base (at least for this season).

LeBron averaged: 27 pts, 8 rebs, 6 assists, 1.9 steals and shot 53% from the field.

That's the second best complete season in the NBA since Jordan in 88-89.

KD was also exceptional: 28 pts, 8 rebs, 4 assists, 1.3 steals and shot 49% from the field.

The Thunder had one more win than the Heat and LeBron was 9-1 without Wade (who some here maintain is actually the best player/1st fiddle on the Heat). So by that logic, the Heat played 10 games without their #1 star in Wade and they were 9-1.

On top of that, LeBron was 1st Team All-Defensive Team (and the top vote getter) and Durant did not even receive a vote.

So while it's definitely really close #'s wise, there are other parts to his game that make LeBron a better player right now. That could obviously change and Durant is _awesome_. But LeBron was the MVP this season.

44cuse

WOuld you rather have the better stat guy or the guy who gets you to the promise lands?

 

[Knicks411]

WOuld you rather have the better stat guy or the guy who gets you to the promise lands?

Usually people wait until a guy wins a ring before going with "count the rings".

 

[Fireball Jr.]

WOuld you rather have the better stat guy or the guy who gets you to the promise lands?

Durant's had a great run recently, he's an elite player, but he's not taking them to the "promise lands" without Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka and Perkins.

 

[Knicks411]

Durant's had a great run recently, he's an elite player, but he's not taking them to the "promise lands" without Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka and Perkins.

If he has taken them to the promised land with those guys then Lebron has done it twice.

 

[NovaOrange]

Well very soon I will be able to say Durant 1 Lebron 0 because there is no way that Boston has a chance IMO. Durant is in the Western conference and Lebron was doing that in the D League aka Eastern conference with the Cavs. Teams were getting in the playoffs in the East with a below 500 records those years

 

[NovaOrange]

Durant's had a great run recently, he's an elite player, but he's not taking them to the "promise lands" without Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka and Perkins.

Bosh and Wade aren't to shabby as well

 

[skurey]

Are you just ignoring the 2 times Lebron's been to the finals? Plus they haven't even been eliminated yet.

 

[NovaOrange]

Are you just ignoring the 2 times Lebron's been to the finals? Plus they haven't even been eliminated yet.

no but he is 0-2 so it's not like Durant can do any worse then he did. I truly believe the Thunder win which would give KD an edge IMO

 

[skurey]

Yeah I agree I think they'll win it all. But I don't agree with the whole notion of winning 1 title makes you a better player than someone with 0 titles.

 

[NovaOrange]

Yeah I agree I think they'll win it all. But I don't agree with the whole notion of winning 1 title makes you a better player than someone with 0 titles.

And I certainly understand that but just for my curiosity could you answer these
Who is better Steve Young or Dan Marino?
Is Steve Nash a better player then Pistol Pete?
Was Ernie Banks better then Derek Jeter?
Answer these honest please I am just curious because I think the media gives us a certain perception about this topic. Sorry I just feel like debating I am board at work

 

[44cuse]

no but he is 0-2 so it's not like Durant can do any worse then he did. I truly believe the Thunder win which would give KD an edge IMO

Does defense matter to you?

LeBron: 1st Team All Defense
Durant: No votes

Durant is a great player, but I will take the guy who just had the best season in the NBA since `88-`89, and was 1st Team All Defense over the guy who is an average defender.

44cuse

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Saw a stat about the number of times Durant's baskets are assisted versus Lebron's. There was quite a gap. Lebron has to not only create for others, but also for himself. It's not like anyone else is getting him easy baskets. Durant gets to come off curls or wait for a jump shot, though his floor game is expanding each year. I would say Lebron has to take way more of a load on his shoulders than Durant does. KD isn't bringing the ball up court 65% of his teams possessions, along with guarding the best player on the opposing team each game. Hate Lebron all you want, but the guy is basically a prize winning plow horse. Durant is more of a show horse.

 

[PoppyHart]

And I certainly understand that but just for my curiosity could you answer these
Who is better Steve Young or Dan Marino?
Is Steve Nash a better player then Pistol Pete?
Was Ernie Banks better then Derek Jeter?
Answer these honest please I am just curious because I think the media gives us a certain perception about this topic. Sorry I just feel like debating I am board at work

Well, you're really crossing generations on a couple so it really complicates things.

I never saw Banks or Maravich, but I'll say the better players are/were Marino, Maravich, and Jeter.

 

[Knicks411]

I say Young, Nash, and Jeter.

Did Pistol get a title?

 

[skurey]

And I certainly understand that but just for my curiosity could you answer these
Who is better Steve Young or Dan Marino?
Is Steve Nash a better player then Pistol Pete?
Was Ernie Banks better then Derek Jeter?
Answer these honest please I am just curious because I think the media gives us a certain perception about this topic. Sorry I just feel like debating I am board at work

These are tough.

I'd probably say Young as he was more efficient but unfortunately couldn't play as long as Marino.

And I honestly can't compare the other 2 as they are from such different eras.

 

[NovaOrange]

Does defense matter to you?

LeBron: 1st Team All Defense
Durant: No votes

Durant is a great player, but I will take the guy who just had the best season in the NBA since `88-`89, and was 1st Team All Defense over the guy who is an average defender.

44cuse

I can see why you think Lebron is better but IMO I would take KD if I had to take 1 player to build around. As far as your 1st team defense goes it's the NBA defense doesn't matter until the 4th quarter for about 90 percent of the players, especially if you play on the Warriors. I will take the guy who is 23 in the finals and didn't need to go play with two all stars to "win a title" because he didn't have the help around him in Cleveland.