2013-14 MVP Discussion Thread Pt II

[Colbinii]

What? The GB and PC board is littered with Durant is already better than LeBron posts. Even in this thread there were/are a lot of people saying that when Durant went on that tear. The PC board has a few threads comparing the two and not naming any names but a couple of posters in this thread consistently say Durant is better than LeBron. All of this isn't to say KD isn't the MVP this season, he is and will likely win it but there are a fair share of people here have been saying that. I have noticed that the media which was starting to drive the conversation about KD being the better overall player has backed off in the last month or so ever since LeBron started playing like himself again.

Really?
I mean, I don't read the GB board other than this thread and the GIF thread, so I can't speak for the GB Board, but from the PC board, the majority of people who were KD Fanboys even admitted that Durant has to do what he did in January in the Playoffs.

I wouldn't expect the PC board to be that delusional!

viewtopic.php?f=64&t=1302282

Durant was leading in that poll until Thursday's game.

Did you read the posts in that thread?

The majority said "Durant has been having a better season...He isn't as though good".

[MisterHibachi]

Really?
I mean, I don't read the GB board other than this thread and the GIF thread, so I can't speak for the GB Board, but from the PC board, the majority of people who were KD Fanboys even admitted that Durant has to do what he did in January in the Playoffs.

I wouldn't expect the PC board to be that delusional!

viewtopic.php?f=64&t=1302282

Durant was leading in that poll until Thursday's game.

Did you read the posts in that thread?

The majority said "Durant has been having a better season...He isn't as though good".

I was strictly talking about the poll. I did read the thread.

[Keller61]

The people who think this race isn't close are fooling themselves. It doesn't matter what you and I think, it matters what the Media thinks and it's clear that they now believe this race is tight and that's mainly due to Thursday nights game where Durant was thoroughly outplayed by LeBron, especially in the 1st quarter and the Thunder were completely demolished by the Heat. Should that one game change things so significantly? Probably not, but we're at a point where the NFL season is over and we're past the All Star break so all eyes are going to be on the NBA and that game was a nationally televised game that was highly anticipated. Durant was destroyed by LeBron in it as well as the Thunder being destroyed by the Heat. Add that up with the way LeBron's been playing this month and there's you're reason for why the media (the only opinion that really matters when it comes to this award) believes this is a tight race.

You can dislike it all you'd like, but it's pretty clear this is now a tight race.

Not only is it just one game, but Durant outplayed LeBron when the Thunder destroyed the Heat a few weeks ago, so they're pretty even in terms of the head-to-head matchups. It shouldn't matter which one came before or after the superbowl, at least I hope it doesn't matter.

[Colbinii]

viewtopic.php?f=64&t=1302282

Durant was leading in that poll until Thursday's game.

Did you read the posts in that thread?

The majority said "Durant has been having a better season...He isn't as though good".

I was strictly talking about the poll. I did read the thread.

So then you realize people were voting for...They were voting he was the best SO FAR, not he is just plain better than LeBron, but rather, so far in the season, Durant has been a better basketball player, which was true.

[Keller61]

What's funny is the LeBron gave Durant a half season head start on winning the award. Bron was coasting up until a couple weeks ago. Durant has been playing in his highest gear since day one. Soon as LeBron flipped that switch the world was issued a reality check. Guys who really know LeBron and who have been following him since 2002 like myself knew this was coming. All the prisoners of the moment were ready to put KD in the King's throne and proclaim him the best in the world after a good January LOLZLOLZLOLZ!!!!!! Damn youngsters, gotta lot to learn about how this game works. LeBron could give 2 **** about this MVP award. He's BORED with the MVP award. Yet he's still probably going to win his 5th this season because Durant went all in and peaked too early. Oh well, at least he can get another scoring title. And I don't mean to come off as a Durant hater because that isn't the case. Its just this new wave of KD fanboys is starting to get on my nerves a bit. Bron had to statistically murder Kobe for like 7 years before folks were finally forced to admit that we had a new best player in the world. Now these same people as well as a new group of Bron haters have banded together in an attempt to push KD into Bron's #1 spot after a couple great months of REGULAR SEASON play. Its laughable and annoying. But oh well, cream always rises to the top and in the end there will be no denying the truth.

It wasn't just a "good" month of January for Durant, it was an all-time great month, and he did it without his 2nd option. The fact that LeBron has been coasting for much of the season should be held against him in the MVP discussion, especially if the Heat fail to get the #1 seed.

[PaulieWal]

Did you read the posts in that thread?

The majority said "Durant has been having a better season...He isn't as though good".

I was strictly talking about the poll. I did read the thread.

So then you realize people were voting for...They were voting he was the best SO FAR, not he is just plain better than LeBron, but rather, so far in the season, Durant has been a better basketball player, which was true.

Dude, nobody is denying that. But I am very surprised you haven't seen the many "Durant is the better player already" posts. As I said earlier even this thread has many of those posts.

[Colbinii]

I was strictly talking about the poll. I did read the thread.

So then you realize people were voting for...They were voting he was the best SO FAR, not he is just plain better than LeBron, but rather, so far in the season, Durant has been a better basketball player, which was true.

Dude, nobody is denying that. But I am very surprised you haven't seen the many "Durant is the better player already" posts. As I said earlier even this thread has many of those posts.

No, but maybe it's because when I read it I just forget about it because I can't comprehend how delusional some people are. That is probably it actually. I try not to get into discussions with people on this site that aren't worthy of discussion.

[James Rustles]

Durant isn't a better player than LeBron just like LeBron wasn't a better player than Kobe until 2012.

[EArl]

Oh boy brace yourself...

[therealbig3]

Durant isn't a better player than LeBron just like LeBron wasn't a better player than Kobe until 2012.

Haha, good joke.

[PaulieWal]

Durant isn't a better player than LeBron just like LeBron wasn't a better player than Kobe until 2012.

If you are implying that KD won't be the better player until he wins a ring that's certainly not the case. Most people saying that LeBron is still the best isn't because he has more titles than KD, it's because he truly is the better player. Titles don't make you the best player in a vacuum. If and when KD truly surpasses LeBron it won't be because he won a ring it would be because KD is truly the best player in the game.

Right now KD has closed the gap on LeBron this year but LeBron has been LeBron again over the past month or so and it is obvious that he is the best in the game. KD is a phenomenal talent and at this point the standings in the NBA are LeBron, then KD, and then everyone else. That's how good these 2 are right now. When KD overtakes LeBron it will be because he is the better basketball player not because he won a ring because then you could argue (however many rings LeBron has) > 1, just like you could still say 5>2.

[arifgokcen]

Durant isn't a better player than LeBron just like LeBron wasn't a better player than Kobe until 2012.

dude nice 1.

Lebron always plays much better during the second half of the season.That said this mvp will not be decided by james play but rather KD's play

[ThePersianFreak]

Durant isn't a better player than LeBron just like LeBron wasn't a better player than Kobe until 2012.

Good job, good effort.

[nyk_buc]

Durant isn't a better player than LeBron just like LeBron wasn't a better player than Kobe until 2012.

I think you live in Bucher's world. Lebron has been the best player in the world for a 7 year stretch now. But his legacy won't and didn't surpass Kobe until he won. Current and legacy are different.

Durant doesn't have to win a ring to be a better "player" than Lebron. He has to in order to surpass Lebron's legacy.

AS for this year, Durant hasn't surpass Lebron yet, but the gap has definitely closed. I didn't think it would for another 3 years. But Lebron obviously coasted.

But Durant is close to a "motivated" Lebron. In February, Durant is putting up 33/8/7 on 48%. Lebron is putting up 31/9/7 on 56%.

It's going to be exciting to see how Durant pushes Lebron b/c it's great competition. Lebron was clearly disinterested in the regular season until Durant blew up in January. Prior to that, Lebron was still the MVP candidate despite coasting so he had reason to coast.

[MisterHibachi]

Durant isn't a better player than LeBron just like LeBron wasn't a better player than Kobe until 2012.

Pure comedy.

[deneem4]

Lebron is in his prime playing with 2.5 future hof...
KD is still developing playing with guys younger than him...

As you saw befotr westbrook came back...KD can be better than lebron right now
..but his sidekixk trying be better than him...KD can dominate games night in and night out...but not if Russell plays like he's the main guy

[rcontador]

Right now KD has closed the gap on LeBron this year but LeBron has been LeBron again over the past month or so and it is obvious that he is the best in the game.

I still don't understand, why do people say things like this? Lebron being Lebron is still worse than KD was in January.

It's fine to give Lebron the benefit of the doubt, since he's been doing it for five years and KD's only been doing it for two months. But it is not at all "obvious" that Lebron is the best in the game.

But Durant is close to a "motivated" Lebron. In February, Durant is putting up 33/8/7 on 48%. Lebron is putting up 31/9/7 on 56%.

You should always use TS%, not FG%, in these comparisons. Otherwise you are underselling Durant for no reason.

[PaulieWal]

Right now KD has closed the gap on LeBron this year but LeBron has been LeBron again over the past month or so and it is obvious that he is the best in the game.

I still don't understand, why do people say things like this? Lebron being Lebron is still worse than KD was in January.

It's fine to give Lebron the benefit of the doubt, since he's been doing it for five years and KD's only been doing it for two months. But it is not at all "obvious" that Lebron is the best in the game.

Because LeBron being LeBron again isn't about him being better than KD in January. That was an unbelievably godly stretch where KD was on fire. Almost all all-time greats have had stretches like that where they fill up the stat sheet and put up video game numbers.

Wade in 09
Kobe in 06
LeBron last year
MJ with his triple double streak and so on
Shaq had a couple hot stretches during the Lakers 3 peat era

[rcontador]

Sure, I'm not claiming that his January stretch was KD's true level of play. That would make him GOAT by a mile.

What I'm saying is: Lebron at his best is no better than KD at his best.

So if you think Lebron is still obviously the best player in the league, you must've come to that conclusion based on their sustained levels of play. But if you look at this entire season, Durant is as good as Lebron's ever been. (Durant's averages this season (30.7 PER, .314 WS/48) compare favorably to anything Lebron's ever done.)

In fact, if you look at the last two seasons as one block of time, Durant's been almost as good over that period as Lebron has been. And Lebron had a GOAT season last year.

So how on Earth is it obvious that Lebron's the best player in the league?

[PaulieWal]

Sure, I'm not claiming that his January stretch was KD's true level of play. That would make him GOAT by a mile.

What I'm saying is: Lebron at his best is no better than KD at his best.

So if you think Lebron is still obviously the best player in the league, you must've come to that conclusion based on their sustained levels of play. But if you look at this entire season, Durant is as good as Lebron's ever been. (Durant's averages this season (30.7 PER, .314 WS/48) compare favorably to anything Lebron's ever done.)

In fact, if you look at the last two seasons as one block of time, Durant's been almost as good over that period as Lebron has been. And Lebron had a GOAT season last year.

So how on Earth is it obvious that Lebron's the best player in the league?

Cool, we agree on the January stretch. That would make him the GOAT by a mile if that was his standard level of play for an entire season.

BUT...LeBron at his best is better than KD at his best. If you think Durant's been almost as good over the last 2 seasons then I have to say you are being disingenuous. First of all, the elevated play-making and ball-handling has become a part of his game this year. It wasn't as big last year mostly due to Russ not being injured and he has obviously improved. His defense has also gotten a lot better this year. It has been improving every single year but this year it has been the best so far and last year I would say it was a tad below this year's defense. Now 2013 LeBron was simply better than KD considering defense, play-making and ball-handling. On offense their numbers were a wash with KD having the slightly better TS%.

Comparing their 2014 season, first half KD was the better player. That's not even a question. But LeBron being LeBron brings that elite D (which is still better than Durant's best) and offensive play which is very comparable to Durant. Durant is undoubtedly the better shooter but LeBron is still putting up 27 PPG on incredibly impressive efficiency.

And that's where we disagree, to me LeBron's best is still better than KD's best and that isn't a knock against KD. KD has closed the gap and may overtake him sooner than I thought but both ends on the floor give me LeBron over KD still.