OKC: Who is their best player?

[Dewie12]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

Exactly. He's the best scorer in the league. It's not the easiest thing to do, even if he makes it look easy. He's put up near historic percentages and scored at a nearly historic rate (as far as I know). That's just part of what he's done.

The guy was also an MVP candidate, the best scorer in the league and helped take the Thunder from the bottom of the West to near the top of it in his 3rd year. The Thunder even gave the Lakers a decent push in their series. What more does he need to do at this point? I mean come on.

Sure he needs to improve in places, what player doesn't if your name isn't Kobe Bryant? I'm just tired of the quick out of saying "overrated". Overrated is overrated.

You kind of made my point. The fact he is considered an MVP candidate blows my mind. They might as well give the leading scoring the MVP from now on then. No way an MVP should have a negative AST/TO ratio.....

Again great scorer. I have never said anything different but he has flaws in his game and once he plays with a real post player on a championship team he will likely score less. Maybe he will become more efficient but I would be surprised if his scoring production lasts at this level as his team improves.

[BlueNGold]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

You kind of made my point. The fact he is considered an MVP candidate blows my mind. They might as well give the leading scoring the MVP from now on then. No way an MVP should have a negative AST/TO ratio.....

Again great scorer. I have never said anything different but he has flaws in his game and once he plays with a real post player on a championship team he will likely score less. Maybe he will become more efficient but I would be surprised if his scoring production lasts at this level as his team improves.

How did I make your point? Tell me, if Durant isn't on that Thunder team, do they make the playoffs in the West? That is why he was an MVP candidate. Leading the league with 30 PPG was just further emphasis for that.

What player doesn't have flaws in their game? Again, aside from Kobe and even then you could pick apart his game.

Also what's the point you're making when you mention his scoring production will go down as his team improves? That's almost a given for any player on a great team. Kobe's numbers went down slightly once he got Pau and all the great players he's surrounded with now. Paul Pierce's numbers went down once KG and Ray Allen came along. There's plenty more examples of that. I don't see your point.

The fact is Durant is an efficient scorer. He's one of the few guys in the league (and history) that could have a season where he's in the 50/40/90 club (FG, 3pt and FT %). He nearly did it last year. I'm sure there's a good chance he won't be averaging 30 a game every season, but it's not like he's a volume shooter that puts up points despite low percentages.

[Bumi]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

All I can do is shake my head at this thread. You have people demanding he prove something other than what he did as a 21 year old(most kids are still in college), when he lead a cellar dweller team to a 50 win season, and led the league in scoring with tremendous efficiency. Again, at 21... Failing to understand that he's a big man away from making a deep run in the playoffs. He's 22, and he already almost has the pieces to make a championship run.

For the nay sayers. At 21, what were Kobe, Melo, D-Wade, and even LeBron(had the stats, but his team was trash) doing?

And James Hardin a better collegiate player than Durant? Gets to the rack at will? More potential than Durant and Westbrook? I understand people have a right to their opinion, but that's a flat out joke.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

James Harden with the start. 23 points 9 rebounds +8

Westbrook struggling with his shooting again. -7

23 points by way of 6 three pointers and 5 free throws.

That's pretty much all he is

[Dewie12]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

All I can do is shake my head at this thread. You have people demanding he prove something other than what he did as a 21 year old(most kids are still in college)

Win a playoff series. Then I will gladly say he is an MVP candidate.

IF OKC finishes in the top 4 in the west I agree that Durant has reached that level. When that happens I will gladly say he is there.

[BlueNGold]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

Win a playoff series. Then I will gladly say he is an MVP candidate.

IF OKC finishes in the top 4 in the west I agree that Durant has reached that level. When that happens I will gladly say he is there.

Umm, last time I checked the MVP was given out for your performance in the regular season.

You're acting like the guy is T-Mac when it comes to playoff series'. It's really ridiculous. The guy took his team to a level no one expected them to get to, got them into the playoffs (his first time there in case you forgot) and gave the Lakers a somewhat tough series.

Did you really expect the Thunder to beat the Lakers in the 1st round last year?

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

Win a playoff series. Then I will gladly say he is an MVP candidate.

IF OKC finishes in the top 4 in the west I agree that Durant has reached that level. When that happens I will gladly say he is there.

Win a playoff series? I don't think playoffs factor into MVP voting.

Also, last year OKC won 50 games ended up with the 8th seed and the 4th seed won 53 games. That's the difference between the East and the West. But if you want to nitpick 3 games, go right ahead.

[Dewie12]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

Umm, last time I checked the MVP was given out for your performance in the regular season.

You're acting like the guy is T-Mac when it comes to playoff series'. It's really ridiculous. The guy took his team to a level no one expected them to get to, got them into the playoffs (his first time there in case you forgot) and gave the Lakers a somewhat tough series.

Did you really expect the Thunder to beat the Lakers in the 1st round last year?

No. But why give someone an award for accomplishing what 16 other teams did.

And if you read my post I said if the Zombie Sonics finish in the top 4 in the West then he is deserving of being in the MVP discussion.....

[BlueNGold]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

No. But why give someone an award for accomplishing what 16 other teams did.

And if you read my post I said if the Zombie Sonics finish in the top 4 in the West then he is deserving of being in the MVP discussion.....

I wasn't aware 16 other teams went from being one of the worst teams in the league to a 50 win season.

[Dewie12]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

I wasn't aware 16 other teams went from being one of the worst teams in the league to a 50 win season.

It was one of the worst teams with him on the roster the year before.....

[BlueNGold]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

It was one of the worst teams with him on the roster the year before.....

Umm, players CAN improve in case you didn't know. I guess LeBron shouldn't have won 2 MVP's because Cleveland was still a terrible team with him on the roster his rookie year?

[cubsball899]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

how bout we let these kids get a few more seasons under their respective belts, all are good players, all can improve in certain areas and more than likely they all will improve.... with that said, in 5 years they may have gone the way of michael redd, or gilbert arenas, you know? we don't know whats going to happen, any given night KD could go down with a serious injury and he may never completely recover... just let these cats play their games and revisit this thread in 5 years

[BlueNGold]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

how bout we let these kids get a few more seasons under their respective belts, all are good players, all can improve in certain areas and more than likely they all will improve.... with that said, in 5 years they may have gone the way of michael redd, or gilbert arenas, you know? we don't know whats going to happen, any given night KD could go down with a serious injury and he may never completely recover... just let these cats play their games and revisit this thread in 5 years

I know what you're saying, but I think the original question was asking whether Westbrook or Durant were OKC's best player right now.

[Streets]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

Fine Tracy McGrady.....do we talk about him now.....nope.

I swear everyone on here must be under the age of 25 or have no idea about the history of professional sports. Durant is far more likely not to have 10 years of high level of play than to continue to play like this through his whole career. THere have been so many players that have come and gone like Durant.....read some history.

So, you assume Durant is going to have a crappy career and fall hard because it happened to other people. So rather than looking at what Kevin Durant has actually done at 22 and use that as a basis for your predictions about his future, you use what has happened to OTHER PEOPLE that have nothing to do with Durant and ASSUME that's what is going to him? I just want to make sure I have the logic right.

No. But why give someone an award for accomplishing what 16 other teams did.

And if you read my post I said if the Zombie Sonics finish in the top 4 in the West then he is deserving of being in the MVP discussion.....

I was not aware 16 other teams made the playoffs last year.

[Dewie12]

Re: OKC: Who is their best player?

So, you assume Durant is going to have a crappy career and fall hard because it happened to other people. So rather than looking at what Kevin Durant has actually done at 22 and use that as a basis for your predictions about his future, you use what has happened to OTHER PEOPLE that have nothing to do with Durant and ASSUME that's what is going to him? I just want to make sure I have the logic right.
I was not aware 16 other teams made the playoffs last year.

Durant is a scoring God. He led his team to the eight seed last year. He is awesome. He will win a championship for the next 20 years and play until he is 42.

People think Durant is a top 5 player based on his scoring. I think there are subtler parts of the basketball game, parts of his game that he lacks. No one listens the other stuff so just keep on keepin on. Durant suxor.

Nick Collison is a great help defender. Kristic a solid offensive role player. Jeff Green a great athlete that can defend 3 positions and puts up decent offensive numbers. Eric Maynor a capable backup PG. Royal Ivey a solid guard defender. Serge Ibaka is really coming along as a player. He is looking more and more like a legit starter in the league.

But it is Durants scoring that does it all. MVP!!!

Sorry 15 other teams made the playoffs. I am an idiot and know nothing.