We faulted a player for doing something that was totally irrelevant to his team's fortunes. It'd be like NBA Live Coins criticizing Joakim Noah for failing to practice his scales on the piano. Now that the Thunder need Durant to facilitate the offense more frequently, he's doing it. (And perhaps now that Westbrook is back, the team will be richer for the experience.)Anyone who assumed that because
Durant did not set up his teammates often, he could not do it, was wrong. He's proven that now. And in doing so, he's shown that a team led by him without a masterful set-up man riding shotgun can win big. He's shown that he can do what LeBron's done, albeit with somewhat different (more scoring, less passing) contours.Serge Ibaka could be a key component in Durant's increased assist totals this season/Photo credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY SportsJust before this season began, I wrote abouthow
Durant could finally catch his rival and ensure this era would be demarcated as the LeBron and Durant era (like Magic and Bird) instead of the LeBron era (like Jordan).What would mark the transition from a LeBron solo act to a Durant duet? KD could win the MVP, or win a second NBA Finals battle between the pair. Those would be definitive answers.
But let us gauge this admittedly nuanced issue with nuance. Let us judge Durant by LeBron and Cheap NBA 2K18 MT LeBron by Durant and determine if they are equals or not.We don't need nuance. Durant is the MVP and LeBron officially has his foil.2014 NBA Draft: Jerami Grant and Glenn Robinson III declare, Montrezl Harrell returns to school -http://www.mtnba2k.com/