Is The "Durant For MVP" Case Getting A Lot Weaker?

[Perpetual_Beast_Mode]

Seems like the Thunder have been playing about .500 ball since Westbrook got injured. Is Durant even the most valuable player on the Thunder, let alone the league?

 

[BOTSLAYER]

Durant is co MVP of his team, I do not think that Westbrook would be winning these games either.

I think this will hurt his MVP campaign among those who consider winning important and help it among those who will just see his ballooned stat line at the end of the year.

The best player on a team with a good record usually gets the MVP award, so I have to think winning is important.

IMO this should hurt his campaign. He increased his work load but it is showing that he is not nearly as important to OKC winning as we all thought, and that Westbrook is so much more important than many want to admit.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

Little reminder of what Russell brings to the table, imo he is the MJ clone...just a bit shorter.

 

[gordontrue]

People forget how little Durant won before Westbrook and Harden came along.

I mean... how do you think the Thunder got Westbrook and Harden (both top 5 picks)??? Because they kept going back to the lottery.

I mean I know the best players get picked by the worst teams... but everyone was ready to put Durant on LeBron's playing field. LeBron instantly turned CLE into a winning team.

 

[lakersrule]

IMO this should hurt his campaign. He increased his work load but it is showing that he is not nearly as important to OKC winning as we all thought, and that Westbrook is so much more important than many want to admit.

Durant is more important to OKC winning than Westbrook. Switch them and they aren't winning any more games with a healthy Westbrook and injured Durant.

 

[lakersrule]

People forget how little Durant won before Westbrook and Harden came along.

I mean... how do you think the Thunder got Westbrook and Harden (both top 5 picks)??? Because they kept going back to the lottery.

I mean I know the best players get picked by the worst teams... but everyone was ready to put Durant on LeBron's playing field. LeBron instantly turned CLE into a winning team.

To be fair, Lebron had better players around him his rookie season than Durant did.

Cleveland's record Lebron's rookie season was 35-47. Not exactly instant winners.

 

[gordontrue]

To be fair, Lebron had better players around him his rookie season than Durant did.

Cleveland's record Lebron's rookie season was 35-47. Not exactly instant winners.

Fair points.

LeBron's 1st 2 years
35 - 47
42 - 40

Durants 1st 2 years
20 - 62
23 - 59


Other starters:
Cleveland: Jeff McInnis, Eric Williams, Ilgauskus, Boozer
Thunder: Earl Watson, Jeff Green, Nick Collison, Chris Wilcox

IMO, my point is well supported here.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

Durant is more important to OKC winning than Westbrook. Switch them and they aren't winning any more games with a healthy Westbrook and injured Durant.

Maybe a little more important...but a lot? No.

Maybe they would be better with a different PG but the way they are set up and the way they run their plays etc Westbrook is very important to the schemes.

 

[Jims_Doors]

 

[Banned 10x]

To be fair, Lebron had better players around him his rookie season than Durant did.

Cleveland's record Lebron's rookie season was 35-47. Not exactly instant winners.

That's very fair. Remember, Clay Bennett destroyed the Sonics while in Seattle before moving to OKC. Durant had nobody around him to help in those first two years.

 

[Flauge]

the case is weaker. but not alot weaker. lebron's team is swooning right now too. the idea that westbrook is as good as durant is a joke. durant is better than westbrook.. by a decent amount. durant was the only thunder player that decided to show up against miami for the finals.

i love durant. one of the best young talents this league has. the fact he stayed in oklahoma and resigned... as a fan i love it. but i would worry a little bit about the organization following trading harden for skittles and a diet pepsi.

 

[Jims_Doors]

the case is weaker. but not alot weaker. lebron's team is swooning right now too. the idea that westbrook is as good as durant is a joke. durant is better than westbrook.. by a decent amount. durant was the only thunder player that decided to show up against miami for the finals.

i love durant. one of the best young talents this league has. the fact he stayed in oklahoma and resigned... as a fan i love it. but i would worry a little bit about the organization following trading harden for skittles and a diet pepsi.

Westbrook had a bad game 5, but was very serviceable in games 1-4.

Harden was the biggest disappointment in that series for OKC.

 

[Perpetual_Beast_Mode]

That's very fair. Remember, Clay Bennett destroyed the Sonics while in Seattle before moving to OKC. Durant had nobody around him to help in those first two years.

Yeah, we had three bad centers at the time and John Keister made the comment that we had "21 feet of useless big man." Good zinger, IMO.

 

[Kold]

My first time really sitting down and watching OKC(post Westbrook injury) and it's in the 3rd quarter....Durant is out here playing 1 on 5 because he HAS TO. The only person that can create their own shot in the starting lineup is Reggie Jackson. That says it all right there. They NEED Durant to take 20, 30 something shots just to stay in the game

 

[OutlawImmortal]

[MEDIA=twitter]423896702831968256[/MEDIA]

Good thing he made Dwight his bitch tonight.

 

[Am I Blue Through it All?]

Last night might have been a bit of boost.

 

[Pariah]

Durant might make people forget who Lebron James is over the next five years.

 

[lakersrule]

8-5 now without Westbrook. Recently beat Houston and Golden State. Highest PER in the league. The "Durant for MVP" case is strong.

 

[bksballer89]

26,6, and 6 on 58% shooting isn't so bad

 

[Flauge]

Durant will be MVP this year barring some epic collapse in his stats or team and an absolute statistical barrage by Lebron in the 2nd half of the season. Unlike the DRose year, someone is legitimately having a better year than Lebron, and is more deserving of the MVP trophy. My guess is this will be the first of multiple MVPs for Durant in his career.