I get that the standard "best player in the NBA" answer is Lebron James.
But why has this guy not been considered more often? Is it because he was getting undermined by the fraud known as Russell Westbrook??
In the finals Durant absolutely looked like the best player on the court. He shit on Lebron game 3. And assuming Durant played in the weak ass east his whole career while joining superstar squads, he'd have just as many accolades as Lebron.
West >>>>>>>>> East
>But why has this guy not been considered more often?
Durant did win the MVP award. But in general, it's because he lacks Lebron's passing, rebounding, and defensive ability. In terms of scoring alone, Durant is probably the best player in the league. He's won the scoring title 4 or 5 times in his career. But there's more to the game than that.
>In the finals Durant absolutely looked like the best player on the court.
It helps that he was playing for a vastly superior team.
>And assuming Durant played in the weak ass east his whole career while joining superstar squads, he'd have just as many accolades as Lebron.
It's hard to say for sure, because he would be competing with Lebron directly to even get a finals spot. Three rings, eight finals appearances, four MVP awards....that's pretty hard to match.
Durant is a good player, but he also didn't have nearly the pressure on him in GS than he did in OKC, and even in OKC, Russell took over in crunch time. He's simply not a leader, and he's incapable of carrying a team like LeBron does. He had no pressure on him during the Finals because the team he played on was already the best team in the league before he got there. He's kind of pathetic really, beta as fuck, no team he's ever played on has even been "his" team.
>he lacks Lebron's passing, rebounding, and defensive ability.
I don't think you can say that about his defending anymore.
>Westbrook
>fraud
>Just won MVP averaging a triple-double
What did OP mean by this
>Russell took over in crunch time
Yeah bricking shot after shot because you're a ball hog is "taking over" right?
>Russell took over in crunch time.
Because Westbrook is a pathological ballhog. He just can't help it.
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I think you can. It's true that Durant wrecked him, but like I already said, Durant is probably the best scorer in the league. When he's in a rhythm you can't stop him, you just have to hope that you can shut down his teammates. And when his teammates are Curry, Thompson, Green, and Igoudala, you're pretty much fucked.
It's the same situation that most teams deal with when they face a top 5 player. For example, even Leonard, probably the best defender in the league, couldn't hold Lebron to less than 30ppg in that 2014 Finals series, the Spurs won because they completely shut down Wade and Bosh.
Durant is a sharpshooter which is a kinda boring style of play. LeBron steamrolling to the basket is way more fun to watch. Also KD is a bitch that cheated his way to the rin
>>But why has this guy not been considered more often?
>playing with westbrick in small media market
>literally had to score gazillion points just to get a footnote under such headlines as "lebron plays with kids in the pool"
>forced superstar duo narrative with westbrick it never really was
>missed one entire season
>espn literally makes millions of dollars per week by promoting lebum
>didn't win much games against lediva's superteams
notice how he, once he finally got to play in an actual basketball team and for healthy organization, how he absolutely buttfucked letrash hard in the ass, with no lube?
>>because he lacks Lebron's passing, rebounding, and defensive ability
>he unironically think's lecramp is a good defender
HAHAHHAHAHAAHAH
>he lacks Lebron's passing, rebounding, and defensive ability
He lacks LeBron's desire to starting shilling out rebounds and assists to artificially up his numbers.
Remember in the Finals when LeBron busted his ass defending KD so he stopped defending KD to preserve the GOAT narrative?
What a great player.
That he stat padded his way to those accolades, his team and win record were ass and it meant nothing that he won.
>rebounding, and defensive ability
Durant is better him at both
Lebron is an amazing defender. But when you have to carry your team offensively for 46 minutes at lebrons age you cant chase moving screens all over the court
This guy is right you bunch of assblasted contrarians
>Assists and rebounds arnt important parts of basketball
Ive read some casual shit on this site but this is pure cancer
Now KD has found a team which actually coaches him defensively he is definitely the best player in the league
>great shooter
>unrivalled shot creator
>elite athlete
>great defensive player
>intelligent playmaker
he's behind lebron in terms of passing but that's about it, I'd say he's ahead in defending and shooting
This. Bron averaged a trip dub in the finals but when he took the bench warriors went on huge runs
>being obsessed with scorers
>muh points
Golden State has ruined basketball.
>averaged a trip dub
>Statpad rebounds so he can LARP as a PG
>Let Durant humilliate you and score in your face to pad your stats
>Japan
Do they even have basketball courts in Nippon?
>Go up against one of the best teams of all time (if not statistically the best)
>Gather a 3-1 lead with the help of you """fraud""" future MVP triple-double averaging turtle-friend
>Choke and lose
>Betray said turtle friend and join that already unstoppable (if not for future GOAT LBJ) team
Durant is literally less than a man. He is not even within biology anymore.
You mean now that Lebron is 32 years old. But he still has shit on prime Lebron when it comes to defending.
How does letting durant score on him pad his stats. And why are stats so irrelevant when it comes to lebron
Durant barely gaurded lebron and that picture intentionally omits assists
Calling rebounding and getting assist casual and cancerous
Rebound allows 2nd shots on the offensive side for points and takes away 2nd chance points on the defensive side
Assist allows the open man to get a clear shot to the basket for points.
NIGGER do you know basketball at all?
I don't think current lebron is worse than "peak" lebron
sure lebron used to do more of the shoulder down paint barrelling and explosive finishing, but current lebron is scoring just as efficiently AND is a capable outside shooter
defensively, lebron has always been lacklustre
Prime Lebron attempted to play lockdown defense on everyone.
Current Lebron would rather play Free Safety.
>defensively, lebron has always been lacklustre
He was legit DPOTY with the Heat but got robbed.
Shhhhh. That doesnt fit the narrative. It baffles me how much the culture has changed over the last 20 years. Jordan was celebrated even tho he was a dirty player and everyone hyped him up. In todays culture the best players are shit on and devalued even if theyre stand ip guys. Could you imagine the threads if jordan dominated in todays nba
>cheater
>gambler
>ball hog
>superteams dont count ect ect
like your dubs but from what i remember from that thunder v heat finals was kd giving up on the last game and westbrook the only one trying to score
his ball-hog trait allowed kd to deflect shit when things were going bad to russ but that whole team and organization is crap to begin with
now they're going to do the same with paul
>Durant barely gaurded lebron
He shut him down.
Durant gets a free fucking ride in this GSW get the fuck out of here Sup Forums. He joined literally a top 3 team ever so he can get carried do whatever he wants and be ujnstoppable, why? Because they were near enough unstoppable anyway
Come on you idiots.
I do. Maybe try rereading my post because im agreeing with you dicknose
Jordan is an overrated meme
GS never faced real competition in the playoffs.They were just an overhyped team.The Heat were much worse in terms of team stacking.LeBron was just a chocker
So this is your first year watching the nba, eh?
Reading a shit opinion and then seeing an all too telling flag is so elucidating. Fuck off you yellow-teethed sunburnt rag.
>Needs Pippen to win anything
>Kerr saved him with that shot
>Rodman just does all the rebounding anyway
>defensively, jordan has always been lacklustre
LeBron is the GOAT
Lebron averaged a triple double and 2 points less than kd. How is that shut down?
Point proven
Who else here excited for LeBron to retire and be happy and charismatic and people realize they miss him and he actually gets recognized as the GOAT? Jordan's whole ethos is like a lamer version of Kobe. Jumpman shoes are ugly. The new LeBron LMTD? Sexy bruh. His only weakness is not having a hot wife.
>the greatest team ever assembled wins the nba finals
>haha lebum always chokes!!
Never change Sup Forums
>Second row profoundly overpowered
not sure if srs
people werent even sure if rodman would ever get in the HoF because of his low scoring #s, despite being the greatest rebounder of all time and a defensive beast on 5 championship teams
You forgot the most important aspect of Jordan's career: a fucking quitter.
Holy shit can you imagine what people would say about Lebron if he quit hoops for a year to play TE in college?
This. They were arguably better than the 96 bulls when lebron beat them the first time. Then they added a 5 time scoring title holder and mvp to their already stacked roster. Prime Jordan and bill murray from space jam couldnt have won that title. Especially when your team falls apart when you take two minutes to catch your breath
Lebron could cure cancer play 48 minutes a game and average a quadruple double and hed still get roasted. Thats the social media culture we live in. No more sports writers in control of the media who hype up players and celebrate their achievements. Now dequan and billy bob get on twitter and talk about how shit lebron and brady are. As an oldfag this whole process has been very odd to witness. Ffs print media is so dead sports illustrated has to do porn just to sell copies. I used to love that magazine when i was a teenager
Durant is currently the best player in the NBA
Dead on. Im not an oldfag (college student) but i recognize that its a much more negative atmosphere. 50 years ago brady would have been a national hero and go down like babe ruth or ali for his rings and the greatest comeback in superbowl history. But because it happened in 2017 you get headlines like this
Lebron is an overrated defender.
Durants not even the best player on his own team
How many times you want to contradict yourself in a post? No one mentioned the Heat, we know they are stacked. Not to this degree.
Atlanta did collapse, though.
>Lebron is an amazing defender.
>triple double
Because he playeda bunch of minutes LARPing as a PG.He just pulled a Westbrick to hide his hideous performances
Wade was top 2 in the league and Bosh was the best PF in the league.Those Heat were more stacked than any Warriors team if you remove Durant.Durant is just better than LeBron so he makes the Warriors the better team
It's amazing how much Lebron has declined since his miami days
>Lebron whining for for a foul call every time he gets touched on the way to the basket is fun to watch
>Durant cheated
Euros should not be allowed to watch basketball
You can stop posting now we've all seen the same tired absolute nonsense you've filled the thread with.
Ali was NOT universally loved back in his day, in fact he was polarizing, many athletes back then were...
That doesn't change the fact that Lebron "can't do anything right"
Lebron has always been pass first. Id hardly call leading both teams in almost every stat and only trailng durant by a bucket in scoring is a hideous performance. Its an amazing performance and the fact that he single handedly kept them in games with the greatest team ever assembled is a testament to what a force lebron is
He played more minutes that he could handle to pad his stats.Look at his second half stats
True. I forgot about the whole draft dodging shit (like i said i wasnt alive). Holy shit could you imagine if lebron dodged the draft? Maybe time will be kind to lebron like it was for ali
How is it nonesense? Wade was considered the second best player in the league and Bosh was consider the best at his position.You probably started watching ball 2 years ago lmao
You keep saying pad stats like scoring and rebounding and assists are arbitrary numbers. He played almost every minute because it would have been a 50 point route without him in. You know what dude this is your last (You). Your bait is terrible
That headline is not wrong though
>KD giving up in the last game and Westbrook the only one trying to score
You're retarded then
you're a literal fucking faggot
>rebounding and assists are arbitrary numbers
They are how the NBA counts them.LeBron making a 1 foot pass to Kyrie and the latter droping a bucket counts as an assit.LeBron refuses to allow a real coach to coach his teams as he has to be LeCoach.With a real coach he wouldn't need to play so many minutes.LeBron is just another version of Westbrick
lecramp dickriders are pathetic and redditors, and pathetic redditors
KD has always been 1b to LeBron
>people thinking LeGod is bad a defender because he had to guard KD while gassed as fuck
When is reddit gonna leave??
Exactly my point. There are two sides to every coin and todays "media" always focuses on the negative. Like lebrons finals losses or atlantas choke job. Thats not how it was until the '00s. Brady made a historic comeback scoring 31 in just over a quarter and a half to win the biggest game in sports. That headline took a backseat tho. Im not saying the headline is false im just saying thats not the headline we would have got in the 90s if the cowboys or someone did that shit. Hell just as recently as bradys first ring. The narrative wasnt the greatest show on turf choked. I mean they did bellichecks D shut them down. But the headlines were all about bradys cinderella season
people are still too focused on the past seasons so they are still getting used to the idea of durant taking over the league
lebron being the best is pretty much a meme at this point. Lebron, Westbrook, Kawhi, and Durant are all about equal.
>Westbrook
Memechucker, too selfish and self aware
>Kawhi
Worse scorer, rebounder and assister, only plus is defence
>Durant
Better scorer and rebounder, doesn't have the vision or passing ability
Really it's LeBron, Durant and then everyone else
>LeBron was always a lackluster defender
youtube.com
youtube.com
You're only as good as you play on the court. Being tired is no excuse.
>muh blocks
One individual play in a 48 min game does not make you a good defender.
Also, Tayshaun Prince on Reggie Miller is the GOAT playoff chase-down block. Better than Lebron's "historic" one.
That just simply isnt true.
Thanks reddit
>Tayshaun Prince on Reggie Miller is the GOAT playoff chase-down block.
patrician opinion
IDK MAYBE ITS BECAUSE NIGGA BLEW A 3-1 LEAD TO THE MEMES ONLY FOR LEBRON TO COME BACK FROM A 3-1 DEFICIT IN AN UNPRECEDENTED FINALS PERFORMANCE AGAINST THOSE SAME MEMES.
>But why has this guy not been considered more often?
Because he isn't as good
LRN2Basketball kid
>defensively, jordan has always been lackluster
Defensive Player of the Year (1988);
Nine-time All-Defensive First Team (1988-93, 1996-98)
Seasons leading the league in steals: 3 (1987–88, 1989–90, 1992–93)[
Durant didn't have 4 capable fresh defenders switching off on him like LeBron. Then LeBron either had to guard him or he got to feast off shumpert or old man Jefferson
>Let me conveniently leave out that Steph and Klay currently make up one of the best backcourts in the league and Draymond is one of the best stretch fours in the game right now.
>Let me now think 2 > 3 for the purposes of my argument.
You and that poster from B&H can suck a dick.
#2 all time, just accept it and move on
>a tripfag with no reading comprehension
Nothing to see here folks
Your mom dies in her sleep tonight unless you call these guys "fucking faggots''
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bosh the best when ppl like duncan were still solid...go suck on a fuet gringo
+ a spaniard considerinf bosh better than gasol when in his LA days...now i have seen everything
Yeah, you have a point there
Durant didn't have to guard Durant.
Lebron is a more intelligent playmaker. Lebron is one of the few players where "he makes his teammates better" actually applies.
Durant right now is a better defender than LeBron right now.
It comes down to a simple choice Sup Forums... you have the #1 pick in the NBA draft with both Durant and James available.
Who do you pick to anchor your franchise for years to come?
Durant he's not even 30.