It is possible that Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder is never referred to as the best player in the NBA since that title belongs to four-time MVP LeBron James. It is hard to argue that Durant isn't the best scorer the league has to offer though, especially after a game-winner against the Atlanta Hawks Monday night that capped off a 41-point outburst.
Durant has scored 30 or more points in 11 straight games, and he's done it without fellow All-Star Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City's point guard last played on Christmas day; in the 17 games since he went out Durant has hit the 30-point mark or exceeded it 15 times. In his 11-game streak he has topped five assists eight times, and reached double-figures in rebounding five times.
"I know we play a lot of games and a lot of people say January doesn't mean anything," Durant said. "But when you're playing this game with your heart and passion like we do, sometimes you've got to sit back and just enjoy it."
Obviously the Thunder are a better team with Westbrook in the lineup, but without him Durant has evolved into a playmaker in the mold of a LeBron James. When Westbrook was knocked out of the 2012-2013 playoffs Durant was thrust into the do-it-all role a bit too soon and looked uncomfortable. Now, he's thriving and creating opportunities for teammates to score.
He has also remained efficient, and kept true to his desire to not increase his shot attempts drastically. Thunder head coach Scott Brooks heaped praise upon his star after the game winner.
"There's nothing more to say," Brooks said. "He's a special player. He's going to be an MVP candidate until he decides to retire. He's an amazing teammate, which I'm as proud of that, as he is as a player. He cares about the game. He cares about his team. He cares about Oklahoma City. He's just a great ambassador, not only to our team but the league and to the basketball world."
His scoring is at an all-time high 31.3 points per game as are his assists (5.2), and the Thunder are two games ahead of the second-place San Antonio Spurs by two games in the Western Conference, so he is without question one of the leading MVP candidates.
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