Forget LeBron, is CURRENT DURANT better than Kobes ever been?

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

I'll go on to say that Durant is better right now than Kobe has ever been.

Of course you would. That's your shtick.

[Guy Ledouche]

Not quite. Kobe was an elite defender back in the day, and he's always been a better passer than Durant. Kobe could never come close to Durant's efficiency though. In a couple years I'm sure Durant will be better than Kobe has ever been, but as of now I'd give a slight edge to Kobe.

[tpols]

Durant averaged 30+ on like 60 TS in the finals last year..

While his team got backdoor swept and decimated. Do you think a player having an all around game averaging those numbers would be on the losing team by that much? Durants got no man defense and average help.. Average playmaking ability.. Good rebounding kind of average when you consider he's 6'10+.

Kobe was elite in every aspect for a shooting guard. Because his individual skills gets compared to Jordan so much people lose sight.. Durant is not for a small forward.. Not even close.

[RRR3]

[PickernRoller]

[KG215]

Durant averaged 30+ on like 60 TS in the finals last year..

While his team got backdoor swept and decimated. Do you think a player having an all around game averaging those numbers would be on the losing team by that much? Durants got no man defense and average help.

Pretty sure we're talking about current Durant, not 2012 Durant. 2013 Durant was improved and better in all of those facets than 2012 Durant. He was a good defender (not bad or even just average, but good...not great though), and a solid playmaker when needed.

Average playmaking ability.. Good rebounding kind of average when you consider he's 6'10+.

You could make a case that, given his height, he could put up better rebounding numbers, but playing SF pulls him away from the basket more than a frontcourt player. He's still shown some ability to be an 8ish RPG type player, which is on par with a lot of PF's of the same size.

Part of the problem that leads to his inconsistency on the boards is that he goes through stretches of games where he hangs back and helps on the defensive glass, and other stretches of games leaking out for a fastbreak basket opportunity after someone on the other team shoots.

Kobe was elite in every aspect for a shooting guard. Because his individual skills gets compared to Jordan so much people lose sight.. Durant is not for a small forward.. Not even close.

I think he was a lot closer this year than you're making it sound. I'm not saying he was as good as whatever version of Kobe you consider to be the best, but I also think he was in the vicinity. I'm a Durant stan, so I'm biased, but I also don't think it's absurd to say, if this ends up being Durant's best single peak season, that it was far off from Kobe's best single peak season. Both are probably in the top 20 somewhere.

[Jacks3]

Cmon dude, people think Kobe is a "legend" because of his scoring.

You're a ****ing idiot! Do you really think he'd be so highly regarded if he was just a scorer like a Melo or Dantley or Wilkins? **** no. The guy is a legend because he's a incredible scorer AND a terrific all-around scorer. Again, do one-dimensional players put up 30/7/6/2/1 seasons? That's what I thought.

And I don't know what "TS%" is, but Durant had 65% this past year on only two less points.

You asked for his efficiency. I gave it to you. It was very good.

Deal with it.

Kobe scores a lot because he chucks up so many shots.

Except he's posted excellent efficiency throughout his career.

lol @ using FG% to measure scoring efficiency. You realize a player can shoot 50% from the field and still be horribly inefficient right?

See: Wade in 2013 Finals.

Haha ignorant ass.



Prime Kobe was 10X the play-maker/passer Duant is. He was the better defender. And every bit the scorer.

Nobody in their right mind would take current Durant over, say, 2003 Kobe.

Dude would be putting up 34/6/6/2/58% TS seasons in this pathetic no-handchecking league.

[GrapeApe]

As an opposing fan, there's no doubt I feared prime Kobe more than current Durant. I'm not sold on Durant's mental toughness and killer instinct. Even if you dislike Kobe you cannot question those attributes in him.

[Jacks3]

As an opposing fan, there's no doubt I feared prime Kobe more than current Durant..

[PickernRoller]

[RRR3]

I already knew you were gay for Bean, picker, what are you trying to prove?

[TonyMontana]

You asked for his efficiency. I gave it to you. It was very good.

Deal with it.l

No it's not. Which other highly regarded legend has a FG% as bad as Kobes?

Bill Russell has a low FG%, but he is overrated to begin with. His niche was defense anyway. Kobes niche is scoring, and he still puts up inefficient scoring numbers.

You're a ****ing idiot! Do you really think he'd be so highly regarded if he was just a scorer like a Melo or Dantley or Wilkins? **** no. The guy is a legend because he's a incredible scorer AND a terrific all-around scorer. Again, do one-dimensional players put up 30/7/6/2/1 seasons? That's what I thought.

Hes highly regarded because of the big scoring numbers he puts up and the "5 rings" thing which has more to do with Lakers management putting consistently dominant casts around Kobe more than anything else.

If Kobe had scrubs around him for his entire career he'd be another Melo/Wilkins.

Except he's posted excellent efficiency throughout his career.

No he hasn't.

lol @ using FG% to measure scoring efficiency. You realize a player can shoot 50% from the field and still be horribly inefficient right?

See: Wade in 2013 Finals.

Wades problem isn't efficiency, its that he can't shoot.

Give me the high FG% over the low FG% any day. There is no scenario where it would be beneficial to have a low fg%.

[PickernRoller]

I already knew you were gay for Bean, picker, what are you trying to prove?

That you follow me like a b1tch?

[tpols]

Pretty sure we're talking about current Durant, not 2012 Durant. 2013 Durant was improved and better in all of those facets than 2012 Durant. He was a good defender (not bad or even just average, but good...not great though), and a solid playmaker when needed.


You could make a case that, given his height, he could put up better rebounding numbers, but playing SF pulls him away from the basket more than a frontcourt player. He's still shown some ability to be an 8ish RPG type player, which is on par with a lot of PF's of the same size.

Part of the problem that leads to his inconsistency on the boards is that he goes through stretches of games where he hangs back and helps on the defensive glass, and other stretches of games leaking out for a fastbreak basket opportunity after someone on the other team shoots.


I think he was a lot closer this year than you're making it sound. I'm not saying he was as good as whatever version of Kobe you consider to be the best, but I also think he was in the vicinity. I'm a Durant stan, so I'm biased, but I also don't think it's absurd to say, if this ends up being Durant's best single peak season, that it was far off from Kobe's best single peak season. Both are probably in the top 20 somewhere.

Durant gives you a consistent 25-35 points every game on great efficiency, average at best man and help defense, average ball handling and playmaking capability, and his rebounding is average, maybe above average.

He is great and consistent at scoring. Like a steve Nash or Chris paul in their primes they were always gong to give you a certain Statline on supreme efficiency.. Because they picked and chose their spots. But in at least Nashs case being deficient in other areas didn't allow him to put a true stamp on games like other superstars sometimes. I've seen Durant take over games with his scoring. I've also seen plenty of games where his scoring wasn't enough but his team could've won had they had better perimeter defense and a better run offense

. KD doesn't get his offenses running smoothly like Kobe did. It's just westbrook going nuts and Durant hitting scores of long range shots in the midst of broken plays and sloppy execution.

Kobe, in his prime the gave you elite man defense, great help, great passing/playmaking, above average rebounding for a guard, and either, 20 something points on poor efficiency or 35-40+ on great efficiency. He's more up and down with his scoring but still contributed in other ways when it was down. And at its peak Kobe's scoring was deadlier and more dominant. Again, in his prime pre 09.

But honestly at his peak running an offense kobe was just better than Durant at controlling the flow.. Passing setting up teammates to start and unleashing at the end down the stretch or when his team got in holes. And he had a higher impact on the other end of the court as well.

[PickernRoller]

There is totally no argument over this. No need to argue. The fact that this thread is still up shows how good mods do their work here. It's a troll thread, not a discussion thread. Should be treated accordingly.