Better Player at Their Peaks: Durant vs. Giannis

[dankok8]

Who do you got?

[SouBeachTalents]

I've got Giannis on this one. His game is ugly as fvck and he's a liability at the FT line, but he's capable of producing just as many points as KD while being worlds better defensively. KD's game is infinitely more portable but I think Giannis had the better peak, and it would be a pretty easy decision to choose him as my franchise player.

[fourkicks44]

I've got Giannis on this one. His game is ugly as fvck and he's a liability at the FT line, but he's capable of producing just as many points as KD while being worlds better defensively. KD's game is infinitely more portable but I think Giannis had the better peak, and it would be a pretty easy decision to choose him as my franchise player.

Dunno about that one.

Giannis is by far the most overrated defender of the generation while Durant is one of the most underrated.

[Manny98]

Dunno about that one.

Giannis is by far the most overrated defender of the generation while Durant is one of the most underrated.

[SATAN]

Giannis is by far the most overrated defender of the generation

Why do you say that?

I would have said Durant without thinking twice if it weren't for Giannis defense.

[basketballcat]

Kawhi beat both of them at their peak.

[SATAN]

Kawhi beat both of them at their peak.

Are you talking about the 2019 finals in which KD played a whopping 12 minutes?

[basketballcat]

Are you talking about the 2019 finals in which KD played a whopping 12 minutes?

I'm taking about the 2023 series where Kawhi outscored KD on games 1 & 2. Higher FG% too. Teams ended up 1 -1. Of course, Kawhi was injured after that.

Not quite the can of whoopass Kawhi opened against Giannis in 2019, but healthy Kawhi is at least as good as KD in the playoffs.

P.S. Let's not forget how Kawhi was absolutely cooking both KD and Curry in Game 1 of their 2017 series. Score was 76-55, in favour of the Spurs. 8 minutes left in the 3rd. Kawhi leading everybody with 26 points. GSW got home court too. And then Kawhi got Zaza-ed.

[fourkicks44]

Why do you say that?

I would have said Durant without thinking twice if it weren't for Giannis defense.

He refuses to step up and guard opposition star players particularly in crunch time and playoffs. Do we remember Jimmy guarding him in the playoffs while he sat off and let Jrue get cooked over and over by Jimmy.

The backbone of the Buck's defense is Lopez, he has always done the important job inside while Giannis' load is lightened.

All-Defense center along with All-Defense PG in Jrue and Giannis has a DPOY award with one, some say, lucky championshipto show for it? That is as overrated as it comes IMHO.

[90sgoat]

Giannis.

Does more on both sides and is a better leader.

[tontoz]

I think we are splitting hairs here. In the regular season I would take giannis but in the playoffs I might take Durant.

In the playoffs it is tougher to get to the rim. The value of mid-range shots goes up. Durant is elite from mid-range.

[Im Still Ballin]

I have to go with Giannis. That two-way impact.

I think his offense gets underrated too. It has its limitations but so does Durant's. It's the classic battle of offensive archetypes: rim and foul pressure vs. scoring range and diversity. The biggest difference is that I think Giannis takes better advantage of his offensive gravity due to superior playmaking. But KD is naturally more of a clutch threat.

It's like the whole Shaq vs. Kobe thing again. But not perfect because Kobe was a better playmaker than KD.

[Full Court]

This is a tough one. KD never did a carry job like Giannis did when he carried the Bucks to a championship. However, if my team was tied in the last minute of the 4th quarter of game seven of the finals, I'd want Durant to be the one on my team with the ball.

[StrongLurk]

KD

[Wally450]

Peak KD was one of the most unguardable players ever. His defense was underrated as others in this thread have said.