Kevin Durant at age 23 was better than LeBron was at age 23

[Micku]

Didnt jordan admitted that the time he set aside stats is the time he won a championship. Jordan was a statpadder during his early days. Thats why he was a loser too. Durant came into the league already mature thats why hes already a winner from the get go.

I don't recall him saying that. A link would be good tho.

Shaq said that tho. But he put up his best stats in 2000 when he won a championship.

If you check out his 1986 playoffs, Jordan was the only person to keep them in the game. You took Jordan out, the Celts would blow them out even more.

Jordan did play better teamball when Phil Jackson started to coach and introduce the triangle. He played within the flow of the offense.

[KG215]

Who is your pick between Durant at 23 or LeBron at 23?

Probably LeBron, but not by a lot. Both LeBron's and Durant's age 22 and 23 seasons were just completely different in terms of teammates, role, etc.

Durant, at 22 and 23, has now been the best player on back-to-back WCF teams. You can argue that making the WCF right now is tougher than making the Finals from the East when LeBron did it with Cleveland. He has that going for him. If he has a good series and gets OKC past San Antonio and to the Finals, then I may change my mind.

And I get the teammate argument. Durant has played the last two seasons with Westbrook, who has emerged as a top 10-12 player in the league, and Harden who's a border line All-Star and will eventually make an All-Star team or two or three; while LeBron played with Larry Hughes, Zydrunas Ilgauskus, and Drew Gooden. Taking that team to the finals was impressive. I don't care if he did it in the East.

To me, when I watch LeBron, it just feels like (then and now) that he has a bigger overall impact on the game. That's partially because he's such a polarizing figure and you notice almost everything he does; even ordinary things like an uncontested offensive rebound and putback. or a routine pass to a wide-open teammate under the basket. Durant's overall impact on a game may usually be equal or even bigger than LeBron's, but it's done so in a much quieter manner.

We've yet to see how Durant will perform in the Finals. Hopefully he'll get to a few (and win at least once) so we can see if he can be as clutch then as he's already been in other rounds of the playoffs. LeBron really scarred his image last year in the finals but, going by who they were/are at 23, I'd probably pick LeBron over Durant.

[bluechox2]

durant has another arguably top 5 playing along side him

[LamarOdom]

I never knew logic is related to english. LMAO Logic is analysis while english is memory. But thanks for that coz youre just exposing your IQ. And Low IQs dont put into context the strength of the conference when saying lebron went to finals. And oh durant had higher W-L% this season than miami while having worse teammates. So what made you think that durant cant have 60+ seasons when he had a better W-L% at the age 23 compared to lebrons 45-37. LOL

You actually saying LBJ have a better team than Durant?

OKC team is stacked and have alot of depth+ more balanced team while Heat have a team that sucks plus Wade missed like 15-20 games this year.

[Bigsmoke]

James Harden is better then anybody LeBron played with in Cleveland.

LeBron missed 7 games in 2008 and the Cavs lost all 7 games. That team was trash outside of LeBron James.

hell.. this current THunder team would have lose to the Celtics that year too.

[pegasus]

Why are you guys comparing their teammates? Do you think Durant is better than Lebron was at the age of 23? My answer is, yes.

[CeltsGarlic]

NO fakin way! You prob havent seen LBJ at 23, dude was a monster.

[StateOfMind12]

NO fakin way! You prob havent seen LBJ at 23, dude was a monster.

I saw Lebron at 23 and Durant at 23 was much better than LeBron was at 23. Post-season performances from the two of them back it up.

[Ai2death]

Lebron was clearly better. Yeah Durants stats are up there. But he also has a far superior team to lebron and the cavs. Lebron did everything and every team would double tripple team him. He carried the whole load all season. Durant shares the load \thread

[Indian guy]

With the exception of '09 and '10, I would say current Durant is better than all versions of LeBron.

[28renyoy]

Time to change thread title OP.

Kevin Durant at age 23 is better than LeBron James at age 27

[lebeast666]

Please don't compare those two players. Durant has never been in the position LeBron was. The team KD has, LeBron hasn't had in his whole entire career and I'm talking about this Miami Heat team too. KD has one thing on his shoulders and that's to score

[KG215]

Time to change thread title OP.

Kevin Durant at age 23 is better than LeBron James at age 27

Gotta win that ring first. Getting to the NBA Finals is no different than LeBron getting to the Finals at 22 years old. Durant's numbers have been better and he went through a tougher road to get to the Finals, but he also has a better supporting cast than LeBron did in 2007.