Durant is easily the best player in the world

[AngelEyes]

At 32 years old he's at the height of his powers right now, he's lost absolutely nothing after suffering the achilles injury. The next best player in the league is probably Kawhi or Stephen curry, but Durant is head and shoulders above everyone in basketball.

[Manny98]

Yes he is

[Indian guy]

Whenever I watched a regular season Nets game, he always looked like the league's best player. His shot making is without peer.

[ImKobe]

Has been since 2014..

[ArbitraryWater]

ISH (or ImKobe), where these performances validate years past and make someone the best years ago..


:lol

[MadDog]

Absolutely. His shooting is more lethal than Kawhi's, which I believe ultimately separates them.

[Manny98]

He's essesntially a 6'10 Michael Jordan aka The GOAT

He would have had 8 rings by now if not for injuries and bum ass Westbrook

[coastalmarker99]

Has been since 2014..

No

[ImKobe]

ISH (or ImKobe), where these performances validate years past and make someone the best years ago..


:lol

He's clearly been on this level for damn near a decade now. All he needed was to get away from Westbrook.

[3ball]

Has been for years

It ain't a comeback

[Xiengqichess]

If Durant played like the way Lebron always play, he would have the best stats ever!

[coastalmarker99]

Feel like I should leave this here

I got no problem if people take KD over Bron nowadays. But these past 7 years talk or since he won MVP, lol
2014 Playoff PER
Bron 31
KD 22.6 (with a teammate in Russ who posted a 24.9)

2015 Playoff PER
Bron 25 (1st year in Cleveland, no Love, Kyrie at 75%)
KD injured

2016 Playoff PER
Bron 30
KD 20.3!!!

2017 Playoff PER
Bron 30.1
KD 27.5

2018 Playoff PER
Bron 32.2
KD 25.1

Since they both missed the playoffs one year
2020 Bron 30.2
2019 KD 26.8

2021 Playoff PER
Bron 20
KD 28.8

[Manny98]

Feel like I should leave this here

I got no problem if people take KD over Bron nowadays. But these past 7 years talk or since he won MVP, lol
2014 Playoff PER
Bron 31
KD 22.6 (with a teammate in Russ who posted a 24.9)

2015 Playoff PER
Bron 25 (1st year in Cleveland, no Love, Kyrie at 75%)
KD injured

2016 Playoff PER
Bron 30
KD 20.3!!!

2017 Playoff PER
Bron 30.1
KD 27.5

2018 Playoff PER
Bron 32.2
KD 25.1

Since they both missed the playoffs one year
2020 Bron 30.2
2019 KD 26.8

2021 Playoff PER
Bron 20
KD 28.8
PER :roll:

Watch the games KD is easily better

[coastalmarker99]

Seriously. No double team. No Giannis on Durant (the guy won defensive player of the year last year but didn’t guard kd a single possession tonight). Harden couldn’t even move and they didn’t even attack him. Awful

Not taking anything away from KD. That was a goat performance but at the same time it was a woat coaching performance

[AngelEyes]

Seriously. No double team. No Giannis on Durant (the guy won defensive player of the year last year but didn’t guard kd a single possession tonight). Harden couldn’t even move and they didn’t even attack him. Awful

Not taking anything away from KD. That was a goat performance but at the same time it was a woat coaching performance

I've never seen a coach so unwilling or unable to make the necessary adjustments in the postseason as Budenholzer. He's an embarrassingly bad coach when the games matter.

[coastalmarker99]

I've never seen a coach so unwilling or unable to make the necessary adjustments in the postseason as Budenholzer. He's an embarrassingly bad coach when the games matter.

Bud is a perfect coach for a rebuilding team but WOAT for a tile contender, he's Brett Brown or Scott Brooks w/ some ambition.



On another note this has to be the worst single-game coaching performance in the modern era.

[Walk on Water]

No way he's the best player. Who won the scoring title? Durant still has Harden and is barely beating a one-man team right now. Get real. Stop overreacting over a game that the Bucks should have won.

[MadDog]

PER :roll:

Watch the games KD is easily better

Lot of talk about double teams. PJ Tucker played him physical though. Called for a number of fouls but was allowed to play KD tough. Some of those shots KD hit were on text book and sound defense. Nobody is stopping him 1 on 1.


No way he's the best player. Who won the scoring title? Durant still has Harden and is barely beating a one-man team right now. Get real. Stop overreacting over a game that the Bucks should have won.

Did you see Harden play? He went 1-10 and barely had lift. Durant carried tonight.

[coastalmarker99]

PER :roll:

Watch the games KD is easily better

Well the assertions that you hear on this board:

•"KD been better than Bron since his MVP year ('14)" never mind that when KD won his MVP the consensus was he was second to Bron who was the reigning b2b MVP and a 4x MVP overall;

•"KD been better than Bron since '16/past 5 years"(incidentally thats the year KD choked a 3-1 lead with a horrendous stretch to close the series vs the same team Bron came back from down 3-1 with a string of All-Time games to close the series);

•"KD is a greater scorer than LeBron"; this is highly debatable particularly given the scoring surges Bron has gone on in the playoffs compared to Durant...

only on here is it not debatable because this board has a fetish for "pretty game" aesthetics and strong shooters (it isn't debatable that Durant is the greater shooter and even possibly a more versatile scorer, but it is definitely debatable who the greater scorer overall is because "scoring" isn't limited to "who has the prettiest jumper", especially when you take into account the defences both have faced in playoff settings and what they did to them comparably;

•"KD is the greatest player of his era"; this deserves no real attention as its clearly absurd;

•"KD's legacy on the All-Time board is threatening Bron's"; Bron was better at every age marker between the two and that is an unobjective fact, with Bron also accomplishing certain feats that Durant didn't...

[FKAri]

Well the assertions that you hear on this board:

•"KD been better than Bron since his MVP year ('14)" never mind that when KD won his MVP the consensus was he was second to Bron who was the reigning b2b MVP and a 4x MVP overall;

•"KD been better than Bron since '16/past 5 years"(incidentally thats the year KD choked a 3-1 lead with a horrendous stretch to close the series vs the same team Bron came back from down 3-1 with a string of All-Time games to close the series);

•"KD is a greater scorer than LeBron"; this is highly debatable particularly given the scoring surges Bron has gone on in the playoffs compared to Durant...

only on here is it not debatable because this board has a fetish for "pretty game" aesthetics and strong shooters (it isn't debatable that Durant is the greater shooter and even possibly a more versatile scorer, but it is definitely debatable who the greater scorer overall is because "scoring" isn't limited to "who has the prettiest jumper", especially when you take into account the defences both have faced in playoff settings and what they did to them comparably;

•"KD is the greatest player of his era"; this deserves no real attention as its clearly absurd;

•"KD's legacy on the All-Time board is threatening Bron's"; Bron was better at every age marker between the two and that is an unobjective fact, with Bron also accomplishing certain feats that Durant didn't...

I think KD is a better scorer than Lebron in a vaccum and both in their primes.

[And1AllDay]

Well the assertions that you hear on this board:

•"KD been better than Bron since his MVP year ('14)" never mind that when KD won his MVP the consensus was he was second to Bron who was the reigning b2b MVP and a 4x MVP overall;

•"KD been better than Bron since '16/past 5 years"(incidentally thats the year KD choked a 3-1 lead with a horrendous stretch to close the series vs the same team Bron came back from down 3-1 with a string of All-Time games to close the series);

•"KD is a greater scorer than LeBron"; this is highly debatable particularly given the scoring surges Bron has gone on in the playoffs compared to Durant...

only on here is it not debatable because this board has a fetish for "pretty game" aesthetics and strong shooters (it isn't debatable that Durant is the greater shooter and even possibly a more versatile scorer, but it is definitely debatable who the greater scorer overall is because "scoring" isn't limited to "who has the prettiest jumper", especially when you take into account the defences both have faced in playoff settings and what they did to them comparably;

•"KD is the greatest player of his era"; this deserves no real attention as its clearly absurd;



bingo

[kawhileonard2]

Has been since 2014..

Except 2019 when it was Kawhi. 2017 was Kawhi until he got injured. Spurs would have beaten the Warriors that year. It will be a battle for this between Kawhi and Durant this year.

[SouBeachTalents]

Imo he's not "head and shoulders" better than Kawhi, I wanna see how the rest of the playoffs play out before I determine that. With this performance though he definitely holds the title right now

[kawhileonard2]

Well the assertions that you hear on this board:

•"KD been better than Bron since his MVP year ('14)" never mind that when KD won his MVP the consensus was he was second to Bron who was the reigning b2b MVP and a 4x MVP overall;

•"KD been better than Bron since '16/past 5 years"(incidentally thats the year KD choked a 3-1 lead with a horrendous stretch to close the series vs the same team Bron came back from down 3-1 with a string of All-Time games to close the series);

•"KD is a greater scorer than LeBron"; this is highly debatable particularly given the scoring surges Bron has gone on in the playoffs compared to Durant...

only on here is it not debatable because this board has a fetish for "pretty game" aesthetics and strong shooters (it isn't debatable that Durant is the greater shooter and even possibly a more versatile scorer, but it is definitely debatable who the greater scorer overall is because "scoring" isn't limited to "who has the prettiest jumper", especially when you take into account the defences both have faced in playoff settings and what they did to them comparably;

•"KD is the greatest player of his era"; this deserves no real attention as its clearly absurd;

•"KD's legacy on the All-Time board is threatening Bron's"; Bron was better at every age marker between the two and that is an unobjective fact, with Bron also accomplishing certain feats that Durant didn't...

This is when they had equal teams

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?489748-When-KD-and-Lebron-go-head-to-head

[ImKobe]

Except 2019 when it was Kawhi. 2017 was Kawhi until he got injured. Spurs would have beaten the Warriors that year. It will be a battle for this between Kawhi and Durant this year.

I wouldn't go crazy after one half of that 2017 series :kobe: . Spurs would have won a game on the road and made it interesting but I highly doubt Kawhi and LMA would have been enough to beat that team when Durant beat them the year before on a much worse team.

Him and Kawhi were close statistically in the '19 Playoffs before KD's injury, but we all know it's a three-peat for the Warriors if he doesn't get injured.

[3ball]

Imo he's not "head and shoulders" better than Kawhi, I wanna see how the rest of the playoffs play out before I determine that. With this performance though he definitely holds the title right now


Jordan averaged 47/10/6 in Games 2-4 of the 93' Finals, when pace was only 89 and the teams scored less.

Pippen was shooting 45% true shooting and was worse than Jeff Green, Blake or Harden was in this game

[SouBeachTalents]

Jordan averaged 47/10/6 in Games 2-4 of the 93' Finals, when pace was only 89 and the teams scored less.

Pippen was shooting 45% true shooting and was worse than Jeff Green, Blake or Harden was in this game
Shut the fck up

[And1AllDay]

Shut the fck up

:oldlol:

we gotta kd thread and this fool really trying to prop up mike

like chiill 3baLLLLLLLLLLLl everyone knows mike is top 10 now relax

[3ball]

Shut the fck up


1993 ECF Game 4


https://i.makeagif.com/media/6-16-2021/pYsFB0.gif


Jordan always beat the best with no help - Knicks were favored over the Bulls in that series and had homecourt

[kawhileonard2]

Jordan averaged 47/10/6 in Games 2-4 of the 93' Finals, when pace was only 89 and the teams scored less.

Pippen was shooting 45% true shooting and was worse than Jeff Green, Blake or Harden was in this game

Dude what the F is this? We are talking now.

[kawhileonard2]

1993 ECF Game 4


https://i.makeagif.com/media/6-16-2021/pYsFB0.gif


Jordan always beat the best with no help

Who gives a s***. We are talking now 2021.

[AlternativeAcc.]

The only other player in history capable of what dursnt did tonight is lebron...

The ability to score, playmake, defend, and lead... I mean that's a top 5 all time playoff performance considering he just beat 3 all stars by himself... he just beat a 2x MVP/DPOY and two other allstars who are elite defenders while putting up 50/17/10 on 70%...

That mightve been the greatest game in NBA history


Durant doubters are low IQ. You guys just don't know anything. I've always known he's top 5 all time so I'm not surprised by it

[3ball]

The only other player in history capable of what dursnt did tonight is lebron...

The ability to score, playmake, defend, and lead... I mean that's a top 5 all time playoff performance considering he just beat 3 all stars by himself... he just beat a 2x MVP/DPOY and two other allstars who are elite defenders while putting up 50/17/10 on 70%...

That mightve been the greatest game in NBA history


He had teammates get 27 and 17, while Harden was there too

Otoh, Jordan's 54 points beat the 60-win Knicks with zero help (highest teammate scored 14 pts)

[3ball]

1993 ECF Game 4


https://i.makeagif.com/media/6-16-2021/pYsFB0.gif


Jordan always beat the best with no help - Knicks were favored over the Bulls in that series and had homecourt


93' Finals Game 4


https://i.makeagif.com/media/6-16-2021/0q5rS7.gif


Jordan beating the best with zero help

[AlternativeAcc.]

.
93' Finals Game 4


https://i.makeagif.com/media/6-16-2021/0q5rS7.gif


Jordan beating the best with zero help

6 rebounds and 2 assists :roll: :roll:

Durant took 7 less shots and had double digits assists, grabbed 17 boards and played elite D


It's not even fukking close lol

John starks vs giannis (2x mvp), Middleton, holiday, tucker (all elite defenders)


Not close

[Spurs m8]

Except 2019 when it was Kawhi. 2017 was Kawhi until he got injured. Spurs would have beaten the Warriors that year. It will be a battle for this between Kawhi and Durant this year.

Spurs were not beating the warriors in 2017 lol

We had a good first half of game 1, Warriors also played badly

Then they started the charge in the second half and then Kawhi went down.

Warriors would have taken it in probably 5...maybe 6, at most tbh...with Kawhi

[Shooter]

6 rebounds and 2 assists :roll: :roll:

Durant took 7 less shots and had double digits assists, grabbed 17 boards and played elite D


It's not even fukking close lol

John starks vs giannis (2x mvp), Middleton, holiday, tucker (all elite defenders)


Not close

:roll::roll:

GET. HIS. ASS.

[kawhileonard2]

Yes

When KD Durant and Lebron go head to head
http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?489748-When-KD-and-Lebron-go-head-to-head

[HBK_Kliq_2]

Kawhi and Durant are clearly 1a and 1b right now. I don't think there has ever been a more clear cut best 2 players in the league or a better 2 best players in the league. It depends who you like, I personally think kawhi is better. Clear cut best 2 in the league and need to face in finals.

[Phoenix]

Imo he's not "head and shoulders" better than Kawhi, I wanna see how the rest of the playoffs play out before I determine that. With this performance though he definitely holds the title right now

These two need to go at it in the finals. Only finals matchup I want to see at this point.

[Soundwave]

The only other player in history capable of what dursnt did tonight is lebron...

The ability to score, playmake, defend, and lead... I mean that's a top 5 all time playoff performance considering he just beat 3 all stars by himself... he just beat a 2x MVP/DPOY and two other allstars who are elite defenders while putting up 50/17/10 on 70%...

That mightve been the greatest game in NBA history


Durant doubters are low IQ. You guys just don't know anything. I've always known he's top 5 all time so I'm not surprised by it

LeBron wouldn't be able to do it either, not after a torn Achilles. KD is just unique. To be 7 foot tall and be able to shoot like that while being able to have the relative agility of a 6'6 player, just doesn't happen. He's as much of a freak of nature as anyone who's played the sport.

[Spurs m8]

Imagine thinking LeBron has a performance like that in him lmao

We all saw the playoffs

This is about KD and KD only...

[Spurs m8]

LeBron wouldn't be able to do it either, not after a torn Achilles. KD is just unique. To be 7 foot tall and be able to shoot like that while being able to have the relative agility of a 6'6 player, just doesn't happen. He's as much of a freak of nature as anyone who's played the sport.

LeBron can't even do it after a fvcking ankle sprain lmfao

[Naero]

He's honestly just picking up where he left off from the 2019 playoffs. He was already cementing the title before he ruptured his Achilles, and then the distinction fell into Kawhi's lap for that season.

I never thought he'd ever become the clear-cut BITW after those injuries, yet the title is his to lose moving forward. Kawhi can challenge him for it in the Finals, of course, but he'll have to significantly outperform Durant to win it in my book since the latter's clearly been the better player.

What a legacy game. Just look at all the countercases he shut down tonight.


He can't carry a team.

He just all but single-handedly won this game with Irving out and Harden a non-factor.


He can't thrive under pressure without a superteam.

He just probably the best performance this entire postseason in a pivotal Game 5. Also in a massive come-from-behind effort. Also, again, without any healthy costar.


He's a one-dimensional scorer.

Just tacked on 17 rebounds, 10 assists, and solid defensive play to his performance.

These were all silly narratives to begin with; they're just much flimsier after tonight.

I hate that it came at our expense, but I can appreciate it since I'm just as passionate of an NBA fan as I am a Bucks fan.

[dankok8]

I think it's between him and Kawhi right now. I like Kawhi more but if I had to pick one I might go with KD. And yes tonight's performance did sway me.

[Mr.GOAT2408]

It's either him or Kawhi, I've always had KD above Kawhi but I see the argument for him as well. I hope both reach the finals and try to settle that debate once and for all

:roll: at anyone that wants to argue otherwise, these two are CLEAR of anyone else in today's league

[DABIGSALSISHA]

I think it's between him and Kawhi right now. I like Kawhi more but if I had to pick one I might go with KD. And yes tonight's performance did sway me.

Those two MOFOS may end up meeting in this year's finals... who knows...

[coastalmarker99]

I think the underrated thing people are forgetting/especially with Durant is that's He's only played 45 games in 2 years. If anybody is feeling fresh this postseason it's KD. Especially since his game isn't built on athleticism and it's been years since he just had to run the entire offence by himself. 2013 maybe when Westbrook got hurt?

It looked Brady when he decided I'm just gonna start throwing deep now. Impressive game.

[PeroAntic]

I think the underrated thing people are forgetting/especially with Durant is that's He's only played 45 games in 2 years. If anybody is feeling fresh this postseason it's KD.
Youre aware though that in the meantime he was rehabbing, not just sitting on his ass.

[RogueBorg]

Feel like I should leave this here

I got no problem if people take KD over Bron nowadays. But these past 7 years talk or since he won MVP, lol
2014 Playoff PER
Bron 31
KD 22.6 (with a teammate in Russ who posted a 24.9)

2015 Playoff PER
Bron 25 (1st year in Cleveland, no Love, Kyrie at 75%)
KD injured

2016 Playoff PER
Bron 30
KD 20.3!!!

2017 Playoff PER
Bron 30.1
KD 27.5

2018 Playoff PER
Bron 32.2
KD 25.1

Since they both missed the playoffs one year
2020 Bron 30.2
2019 KD 26.8

2021 Playoff PER
Bron 20
KD 28.8

Let's not pretend Lebron has ever had any ability to score like what we saw in KD last night and his entire career. Lebron has no post game, no mid-range game, and no ability to drive past a defender, pull up and hit a jump shot. He has one move, and that's going to to the basket utilizing his size and strength.

[dreamwarrior]

Is this a joke? All I saw was stat padding last night. Durant shot 70% and didn't even get 50 points. If you shoot 70% you should have 100 points. In his last game, Kobe took more than double the FGAs that Durant took. Why didn't he take more advantage of the fact that he was single covered? Why was he afraid to go chest to chest with Giannis?

[SouBeachTalents]

Is this a joke? All I saw was stat padding last night. Durant shot 70% and didn't even get 50 points. If you shoot 70% you should have 100 points. In his last game, Kobe took more than double the FGAs that Durant took. Why didn't he take more advantage of the fact that he was single covered? Why was he afraid to go chest to chest with Giannis?
You're really arguing 60 points on 50 shots is more conducive to winning than 49 points on 23 shots, while ignoring him also racking up 17 rebounds and 10 assists? And comparing a meaningless regular season game to a pivotal playoff game :oldlol:

[3ball]

Is this a joke? All I saw was stat padding last night. Durant shot 70% and didn't even get 50 points. If you shoot 70% you should have 100 points. In his last game, Kobe took more than double the FGAs that Durant took. Why didn't he take more advantage of the fact that he was single covered? Why was he afraid to go chest to chest with Giannis?


This is true

It's an aspect of being the goat scorer that KD actually lacks - the ability to "gun" (super-high volume)

It's a way to win that usually controls pace and the offensive glass, while also slowing down opposing offenses by making them defend aggressive volume and higher offensive rebounding threat.

Ultimately, only Jordan combined all-time jumpshooting efficiency (mid-range) with the ability to "gun" as well.

Both are necessary for goat (jumpshooting efficiency and gunning ability)

[ImKobe]

You're really arguing 60 points on 50 shots is more conducive to winning than 49 points on 23 shots, while ignoring him also racking up 17 rebounds and 10 assists? And comparing a meaningless regular season game to a pivotal playoff game :oldlol:

Yes. Kobe's 60 was more impressive because he did it in year 20, after three season-ending injuries in a row. Kobe's 60 overshadowed the Warriors 73-win record that same night.

[Shooter]

You're really arguing 60 points on 50 shots is more conducive to winning than 49 points on 23 shots, while ignoring him also racking up 17 rebounds and 10 assists? And comparing a meaningless regular season game to a pivotal playoff game :oldlol:

:lol :lol

[King Kawhi]

He's definately the best scorer in the league today.

[Manny98]

Dudes saying LeBum and Kawhit :roll:

KD is literally a tier above those losers

[SATAN]

We've seen this before