2013-14 MVP Discussion Thread Pt III

[James Rustles]

All I saw last night was KD stop the bleeding after OKC's poor stretch. The race is still very close and will likely come down to record.

In that poor 7 game stretch for OKC when they went 3-4 and had a some bad losses, Durant still averaged 33-7-7 on 50% FG and 61% TS.

In this 5 game stretch, where the Heat are 1-4, LeBron is averaging 20-7-6 on 45% FG and 51% TS

So does that mean KD's play isn't the main reason for OKC's wins? I mean if he's playing well and they're still losing, it must be something else driving them right? On the other hand, the Heat go as LeBron goes...

A 3-4 record, regardless of individual play, isn't anything to be using when trying to argue for MVP. KD has better arguments than a 3-4 stretch.

No, just means Durant needs to do more for OKC to win. Two starters go out and Scott Brooks basically runs a "Save us KD" offense. Luckily for OKC Durant went bezerk in January to keep them from slipping to the 4th seed or so like many expected.

LeBron was the 3rd best player tonight and the Heat lost. Durant has never been worse than the 2nd best player for OKC this season. He's been easily more valuable than anyone else in the league.

[MisterHibachi]

In that poor 7 game stretch for OKC when they went 3-4 and had a some bad losses, Durant still averaged 33-7-7 on 50% FG and 61% TS.

In this 5 game stretch, where the Heat are 1-4, LeBron is averaging 20-7-6 on 45% FG and 51% TS

So does that mean KD's play isn't the main reason for OKC's wins? I mean if he's playing well and they're still losing, it must be something else driving them right? On the other hand, the Heat go as LeBron goes...

A 3-4 record, regardless of individual play, isn't anything to be using when trying to argue for MVP. KD has better arguments than a 3-4 stretch.

No, just means Durant needs to do more for OKC to win. Two starters go out and Scott Brooks basically runs a "Save us KD" offense. Luckily for OKC Durant went bezerk in January to keep them from slipping to the 4th seed or so like many expected.

LeBron was the 3rd best player tonight and the Heat lost. Durant has never been worse than the 2nd best player for OKC this season. He's been easily more valuable than anyone else in the league.

How do those numbers mean Durant needs to do more for OKC to win? Durant played great, yet the Thunder still went 3-4. Why? Shouldn't him playing great = Thunder wins, if their success is correlated with his play?

I think KD has the MVP award this season, I'm just pointing out the faults in Natural Thunder's argument in that post.

[James Rustles]

So does that mean KD's play isn't the main reason for OKC's wins? I mean if he's playing well and they're still losing, it must be something else driving them right? On the other hand, the Heat go as LeBron goes...

A 3-4 record, regardless of individual play, isn't anything to be using when trying to argue for MVP. KD has better arguments than a 3-4 stretch.

No, just means Durant needs to do more for OKC to win. Two starters go out and Scott Brooks basically runs a "Save us KD" offense. Luckily for OKC Durant went bezerk in January to keep them from slipping to the 4th seed or so like many expected.

LeBron was the 3rd best player tonight and the Heat lost. Durant has never been worse than the 2nd best player for OKC this season. He's been easily more valuable than anyone else in the league.

How do those numbers mean Durant needs to do more for OKC to win? Durant played great, yet the Thunder still went 3-4. Why? Shouldn't him playing great = Thunder wins, if their success is correlated with his play?

I think KD has the MVP award this season, I'm just pointing out the faults in Natural Thunder's argument in that post.

Kevin Durant has played great all year though. He's averaging 32/8/6 on just short of 50/40/90 for crying out loud. Can't expect OKC to go 82-0 playing in the West with some tough injury problems.

[MisterHibachi]

No, just means Durant needs to do more for OKC to win. Two starters go out and Scott Brooks basically runs a "Save us KD" offense. Luckily for OKC Durant went bezerk in January to keep them from slipping to the 4th seed or so like many expected.

LeBron was the 3rd best player tonight and the Heat lost. Durant has never been worse than the 2nd best player for OKC this season. He's been easily more valuable than anyone else in the league.

How do those numbers mean Durant needs to do more for OKC to win? Durant played great, yet the Thunder still went 3-4. Why? Shouldn't him playing great = Thunder wins, if their success is correlated with his play?

I think KD has the MVP award this season, I'm just pointing out the faults in Natural Thunder's argument in that post.

Kevin Durant has played great all year though. He's averaging 32/8/6 on just short of 50/40/90 for crying out loud. Can't expect OKC to go 82-0 playing in the West with some tough injury problems.

You're literally not even reading, or comprehending, what I'm writing..

I think KD has the MVP award this season, I'm just pointing out the faults in Natural Thunder's argument in that post.

[Gwynplaine]

Thread is close to being pointless now. KD will get the MVP. Congrats KD!!! Great season!!! It's been a treat watching you when you were on this season (except for the soft free throws part). The most prolific and purest scorer I've had the pleasure of watching live...

.. And that includes Jordan... Though people will disagree and cite the accomplishments. It's based on my eye test and an opinion so people can disagree.

Hope there are many more seasons of this to come.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RealGM Forums mobile app

[Hero]

If it ended today, KD would be the MVP. LeBron not playing well lately, maybe it's the broken nose? Who knows? Maybe he's saving himself for the playoffs? We'll know soon enough.

[James Rustles]

This now a "Congratulations Kevin Durant" thread.

Hopefully for him his teammates will show up in the playoffs. Felt like OKC would have won it all last season without the Westbrook injury.

[WinisKing]

This now a "Congratulations Kevin Durant" thread.

Hopefully for him his teammates will show up in the playoffs. Felt like OKC would have won it all last season without the Westbrook injury.

Um, did you miss KD's choking left and right in that Memphis series? If anything, his teammate needs him to show up in the playoffs

[James Rustles]

Yes, a shame the Thunder didn't win the series they were favored to lose.

IIRC teams with a point differential as high as OKC had all went on to win the chips that year. OKC was the first not to, but obviously the Westbrook injury plays a factor in that.

[hisairness]

This now a "Congratulations Kevin Durant" thread.

Hopefully for him his teammates will show up in the playoffs. Felt like OKC would have won it all last season without the Westbrook injury.

Um, did you miss KD's choking left and right in that Memphis series? If anything, his teammate needs him to show up in the playoffs

yeah dude, those games were all close thanks to amazing efforts of Durant's teammates, it was them that put OKC in a position where they even had a chance to win

[QPR]

You're literally not even reading, or comprehending, what I'm writing..

Because it's a ridiculous notion, that somehow playing well in losses should work against KD and not for him.

It's still above all else a team sport.

[Gwynplaine]

If it ended today, KD would be the MVP. LeBron not playing well lately, maybe it's the broken nose? Who knows? Maybe he's saving himself for the playoffs? We'll know soon enough.

Fatigue.. He's played more basketball and a very taxing and punishing brand of it over the last 3 years without rest. The whole team is just tired and unmotivated..

[Atmanne]

The poll results vs. a bunch of people now saying KD has it locked equals quite the dichotomy.

Yes, the poll represents how everyone felt last week, but... that was only last week!

[dfins891]

Yes, a shame the Thunder didn't win the series they were favored to lose.

IIRC teams with a point differential as high as OKC had all went on to win the chips that year. OKC was the first not to, but obviously the Westbrook injury plays a factor in that.

This is correct, OKC had the 12th best MOV all time last year. 10 out of 11 of the teams ahead of them won the title that season. The 1 team the didn't, the 71 Bucks(4th highest ever) lost to the 71 Lakers (highest MOV ever). Too bad Russ got hurt.

http://bkref.com/tiny/LUV5D

[HotRocks34]

Great night for Durant last night as LeBron and the Heat stumble. Durant's lead increases as the Heat's record falls a bit more behind OKC's.

[NaturalThunder]

All I saw last night was KD stop the bleeding after OKC's poor stretch. The race is still very close and will likely come down to record.

In that poor 7 game stretch for OKC when they went 3-4 and had a some bad losses, Durant still averaged 33-7-7 on 50% FG and 61% TS.

In this 5 game stretch, where the Heat are 1-4, LeBron is averaging 20-7-6 on 45% FG and 51% TS

So does that mean KD's play isn't the main reason for OKC's wins? I mean if he's playing well and they're still losing, it must be something else driving them right? On the other hand, the Heat go as LeBron goes...

A 3-4 record, regardless of individual play, isn't anything to be using when trying to argue for MVP. KD has better arguments than a 3-4 stretch.

That wasn't my point. You can try and twist it whatever way you want, that's fine. My point is/was that Durant still put up great numbers even when his team went on a bit of a skid. LeBron put up very pedestrian numbers for an MVP candidate. I'm not going to really entertain the notion that KDs play isn't the main reason OKC wins a lot of games because it's nonsensical.

My point, though, was that when you browse boxscores, which I'm sure voters do to some extent, they're still going to see Durant was mostly putting up big numbers during OKC's skid and LeBron wasn't during Miami's skid. Creating this hypothetical where all this does is prove LeBron drive's Miami more than Durant drives OKC doesn't mean a whole lot to me in this particular instance. I've watched three of Miami's last five games, all three losses, and LeBron was way too passive for long stretches and/or settled for way too many jumpers even when they weren't falling. He's still the best player on the planet when both he and Durant bring their A+ games, but Durant is more deserving of the MVP right now.

[ssenbonzakura]

Doesn't matter what happens from here on out. KD is deserving of the MVP, and he should be MVP. I say this as a heat fan. Congrats to him, maybe that would push Lebron and Miami to the championship

[aol4532]

I think the Heat should just "call off the dogs" and start to rest their starters more at this point. I don't think anyone wants HC at the expense of injuries(unless it's against Lebron since he's a different player at home), and it's safe to say that we all want to see a postseason where EVERYONE is healthy.

If Lebron wants to keep chasing HC, well then, I guess the rest of the teams will have to do the same. He should keep in mind that if they lose just one player, it will put them at a handicap against the West, so even if a Pacers player gets injured, he's not going to get lucky against ALL of the Western teams.

[JulesWinnfield]

Yes, a shame the Thunder didn't win the series they were favored to lose.

IIRC teams with a point differential as high as OKC had all went on to win the chips that year. OKC was the first not to, but obviously the Westbrook injury plays a factor in that.

they had no business losing that series in 5, perhaps if Durant wasn't shooting 35% in the 4th quarter and OT in that series (a series where every game was up for grabs late, and sub 30% in games 2-5) they put up more of a fight. But lets go ahead and give him a complete pass there because they were slight betting line underdogs. But lets realize if we're talking about vegas favorites here.... OKC was a heavier betting line favorite against Lebron and Miami in the 2012 finals than Memphis (-120) was against OKC last year.

Lets not rewrite history here and act like OKC was completely overmatched against Memphis. There were games to be won, and the servant came up pretty small in close/late situations against their upper echelon defense

All this is besides the point though. Durant deserves the MVP this year.

[QPR]

^ Are you Skip Bayless?