Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James’ MVP position after All-Star break
By Ryan Piers
2. Kevin Durant
The Warriors wing traditionally heats up as the temperature chills, averaging 28.4 points per game in January and 27.2 in February over his career. He started February with a bang with three straight 30-point games, and he hung 50 on Portland just before the All-Star break.
Durant seems to playing with more confidence, peppering Portland with a plethora of pull-up jumpers in route to his most points as a Warrior. These highlights illustrate how effortlessly he maneuvers around picks and opponents to earn space.
Durant’s excellent February has catapulted him to the top of the MVP conversation. He’s averaging 26.0 points per game, nearly a point below his career average, but his 5.5 assists per game equal a career high. Durant is also shooting with even more surgeon-like precision, torching opponents with a career best 59.5 efficient field goal percentage.
But here’s the catch: Golden State often plays better with Durant as second fiddle. Case in point, the Warriors are 2-3 in the past five games where Durant scored more than 30 points. The Cavaliers regularly rely on LeBron to score 30-plus points to win.
Even if we don’t look at numbers, where James comfortably trumps Durant, his value alone to his team makes him a better MVP candidate than Durant.