Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA Player Power Rankings: Kevin Durant Surpassing LeBron?

By Maxwell Ogden

Dec 17, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) is defended by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) is defended by Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
23 of 23
Next
Jan 31, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) sits on the bench during the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The Warriors defeated the Knicks 116-95. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) sits on the bench during the second quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The Warriors defeated the Knicks 116-95. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

Last Rank: No. 1

Position: Point Guard

Age: 27

Slash Line: .511/.458/.911

Season Averages: 33.8 MPG, 29.8 PPG, 6.4 APG, 5.3 RPG, 2.2 SPG, 4.9 3PM

The Golden State Warriors have maintained a steady lead over the San Antonio Spurs throughout the 2015-16 NBA regular season. Golden State’s star player, Stephen Curry, has done the same with the rest of the competition in his pursuit of MVP.

Curry had one of his worst performances of the season against the New York Knicks, but he rebounded in extraordinary form with 51 points on 11-of-16 shooting from beyond the arc against the Washington Wizards.

Curry is leading the NBA in scoring on an obscenely efficient slash line. He’s a respectable facilitator, as well, who plays a pivotal role in the flow of the Warriors’ masterful motion offense with his scoring ability and unparalleled value as a decoy.

When all 10 defensive eyes are locked on Curry, it becomes infinitely easier for the Warriors’ supporting cast to find openings for jump shots and slashing opportunities.

Statistically speaking, Curry leads the league in both Player Efficiency Rating, Win Shares, and Real +/- by significant margins. Curry also boasts a True Shooting Percentage of .676, which is on pace to be the highest by any player with a minimum of 10 field goal attempts per game since Artis Gilmore in 1981-82.

More hoops habit: Could Kevin Durant actually join Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors this coming summer?

Considering Gilmore was a 7’2″ interior-oriented center, and Curry is a 6’3″ point guard, that’s an astonishingly impressive piece of information.