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LeBron James admits Kevin Durant deserves MVP

April 10, 2014 By Steve DelVecchio Leave a Comment

LeBron James has taken home the NBA MVP award the last two seasons, and he certainly deserved it each time. This year, however, it would be tough to make an argument that he deserves a third straight over Kevin Durant. The Oklahoma City Thunder star is having the best season of his career, averaging a career-high 32.0 points and 5.5. assists per game.

Even LeBron knows it would be difficult for him to make a case for the MVP over Durant.

“I would say he’s the most consistent basketball player as far as the MVP this year, man,” James said Wednesday, via ESPN.com’s Miami Heat Index. “He’s put up some great numbers.”

Anytime you do something Michael Jordan didn’t do, you’re probably having a legendary season. Durant passed Jordan’s mark of most consecutive games with at least 25 points this month when he dropped 25-plus in 41 consecutive games. Durant is a three-time NBA scoring champion but is still searching for his first MVP.

“I think KD has had one heck of a season,” LeBron added. “And, you know, if he’s rewarded with the MVP, it would be great. It would be awesome for him, for his family. He’s played MVP-type basketball. I don’t really get caught up into what people say. At the end of the day, they have their own votes and they go from there.”

Durant is also averaging 7.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game to go along with his career highs in points and assists. LeBron is averging 26.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game, which is a slight decrease from his MVP seasons.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Durant’s 2013-2014 season is that he has kept the Thunder near the top of the Western Conference despite Russell Westbrook appearing in just 43 games. He has carried Oklahoma City through the regular season, and the numbers reflect that. The hardware should, too.

Filed Under: Basketball, Featured Stories Tagged With: Kevin Durant, LeBron James

Kevin Durant on Rockets: ‘Those dudes can’t check me one-on-one’

April 6, 2014 By Steve DelVecchio Leave a Comment

Kevin Durant is averaging a career-high 32.1 points per game this season and is likely going to win the NBA MVP award. Not many teams have been able to slow him down, but the Houston Rockets were able to hold him to a modest 7-for-19 shooting night on Friday. Durant still scored 28 points, but his 36.8% shooting was one of the Oklahoma City Thunder star’s worst games of the year.

After the game, Durant was asked if the Rockets frustrated him by playing so physically. The normally soft-spoken star briefly broke character.

“They wasn’t playing one-on-one, it was one-on-three,” Durant said, via Clutch Fans. “They were funneling on me with two or three guys. Before I got the ball they had two guys on me. Those dudes can’t check me one-on-one. They know that. I ain’t afraid to say it either. I was playing with double-teams, triple-teams, but you still gotta find a way to do it. They’re physical like everybody else.”

The Rockets probably don’t care if they can check Durant one-on-one. They won the game, which is more important than being able to brag about shutting one of the best players in the game down with one-on-one defense.

The Thunder and Rockets are two of the better teams in the Western Conference. They could very well meet again in the playoffs, so perhaps Durant is trying to get Houston’s head a bit by challenging them. We wouldn’t doubt it.

H/T Bleacher Report

Filed Under: Basketball, Featured Stories Tagged With: Houston Rockets, Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant wants DeSean Jackson to join Redskins

April 1, 2014 By Gordon Dixon Leave a Comment

Now a free agent, wide receiver DeSean Jackson has begun the process of finding a team to continue his NFL career with.

Tuesday, it was the Washington Redskins who met with Jackson for reportedly three hours. While it appears there is no deal in place yet, a couple notable names have given their stamp of approval should it become reality.

Robert Griffin III told ESPN’s Britt McHenry that Jackson is “his kinda guy.” Then there’s Kevin Durant, who took to Twitter in an attempt to encourage Jackson to join his beloved Redskins.

@DeseanJackson10 come on home bro! You belong here! #HTTR!!! #redskins #RGIII to #Jaccpot! #Shwagggggg

— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) April 2, 2014

Clearly, DeSean Jackson would add an explosive option for the Washington Redskins offense.

He’s already met with the team’s starting quarterback and hung out with a member of the receiving corps. One of the biggest stars in the NBA wants to see Jackson on his favorite team. All that’s left is for the Redskins to make it happen. Seems simple enough.

Filed Under: Football Tagged With: DeSean Jackson, Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant: Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony toughest to defend in NBA

February 17, 2014 By Larry Brown Leave a Comment

Kevin Durant has improved his defense and has become stingy on that end of the court, but he admits that Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony are still among the toughest players in the league to guard.

Durant conducted an interview with ESPN Radio over All-Star Weekend and was asked what the toughest 1-on-1 matchup would be for him. That’s when he mentioned Kobe and ‘Melo, who have reputations for being awesome all-around scorers.

“Kobe and Carmelo. They just have an array of moves that can get me off balance,” Durant said of the two stars. “They’re strong on defense as well, but Kobe is just the ultimate one-on-one player. It would be fun playing against him but it would be tough to beat him.”

Durant mentioned prior to the All-Star Game that he wanted to go 1-on-1 with someone during the All-Star Game, and the first player he mentioned was LeBron James. But he didn’t mention LeBron as the hardest to guard 1-on-1. Is that because James is more of a team offensive player than an isolation guy? Or because Kobe is injured and ‘Melo is on the Knicks, so they don’t pose a real threat to KD’s Thunder, while James is the guy he has to overcome? I’m not sure, but that certainly was a notable omission. And it is definitely a tribute to Anthony and Kobe that Durant mentioned them, though it’s not too surprising. Each player has always been known for being excellent on the offensive end. It’s Kobe’s shot selection and risky defense, and Carmelo’s ball-hogging and defense that people have questioned.

Transcription via Thunder Daily

Filed Under: Basketball Tagged With: Kevin Durant

LeBron James: Kevin Durant will feel pressure to win title after I retire

February 13, 2014 By Larry Brown Leave a Comment

The confidence from LeBron James appears to be at an all-time high right about now.

James recently said in an interview that the NBA Mount Rushmore will have to make room for him, meaning he’ll be one of the top four players ever. He has also made it very clear that he has no plans to stop winning championships any time soon.

James’ Miami Heat squad has reached three NBA Finals in a row and won back-to-back titles. They’re going for three in a row this season, though they’re still far away from LeBron’s not six, not seven … prediction. But James seems to think they’re going to get there.

How do we know?

Bleacher Report’s Ethan J. Skolnick asked LeBron about when the pressure to win a championship begins to shift to Kevin Durant, who is widely considered to be the best or second-best player in the league next to James. Durant is 25 and has reached the finals once, though he has yet to win a title. James was asked when the pressure to win a championship will shift to Durant.

“When I retire,” James told Skolnick. “When I retire. They’re still talking about, am I going to win a third? You know…”

LeBron didn’t mean that as a slight to Durant and he clarified.

“But I think, for him, obviously he’s an unbelievable player,” James said. “And I’m one of the guys that just don’t, I don’t believe that winning a championship defines your career, you know. There’s so many greats that never won, and it’s unfortunate that they didn’t.”

James said he hopes Durant doesn’t have to go through what he did. LeBron didn’t win a championship for his first eight seasons in the league before winning two in a row. He was just crushed by fans and pundits, and it really affected his personality and confidence. We hope Durant doesn’t have to go through it either.

LeBron is only 29. Though he has been in the league since he was a teenager and played over 950 career games including the playoffs, we don’t see him retiring any time soon. Maybe Durant will sneak in a title in the next few years, but this is still LeBron’s time. It’s unfortunate for Durant’s legacy that he has to compete with James for titles, but that’s the way it goes. Think about all the greats who never won a title because Michael Jordan stole them all. Patrick Ewing, John Stockton and Karl Malone never won rings because MJ was building his legacy. Hakeem never would have won a ring if MJ didn’t step away.

Most will still recognize Durant as a great player regardless of what happens. I think the fact that Durant has avoided a lot of criticism for not winning a title so far speaks about our expectations for LeBron more than anything else; James is expected to win. Durant winning would mean he overachieved and knocked off the best player.

Chest bump to Pro Basketball Talk

Filed Under: Basketball Tagged With: Kevin Durant, LeBron James

Jason Kidd is impressed by Kevin Durant (GIF)

January 31, 2014 By Larry Brown Leave a Comment

When a guy is playing as well as Kevin Durant is, what can you really do if you’re an opposing team? There isn’t a whole lot, which is why Jason Kidd was left to give nothing but a shrug and smile while watching KD go off against his Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

Durant’s streak of 30+ point games came to an end at 12, but it’s not because he wasn’t playing well. In fact, he was so hot early in the game that the Oklahoma City Thunder built such a big lead that he only needed to play 30 minutes in the game. Durant was 12-of-12, including 3-for-3 on 3-pointers and 3-for-3 on free throws in OKC’s 120-95 win. He finished with 26 points.

What more can you do than shrug and smile?

GIF via Royce Young

Filed Under: Basketball, Viral Greatness Tagged With: Jason Kidd, Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant makes game-winning shot over like three Hawks (Video)

January 27, 2014 By Larry Brown Leave a Comment

Kevin Durant did it again. The Oklahoma City Thunder star scored 41 points, including a game-winning shot in the final seconds of his team’s 111-109 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

What was so impressive was how Durant had like three defenders around him and still made the shot. Throw two guys at KD, and maybe even a third, and the Slim Reaper will still kill you.

Durant went 15-of-25 from the field, 5-of-7 from 3-point range, and 6-of-8 at the line for his 41. He’s now scored at least 30 points in his last 11 games. He’s making a very strong case to win MVP this season.

The Hawks summed things up pretty well with this tweet: