Column: Has LeBron’s Reign as King Ended?

Has LeBron James’ reign as number one in the league come to an end at the hands of a 6’9 shooting guard from the Oklahoma City Thunder? Okay so he’s listed as a forward, but anyone who watches the game would call Kevin Durant a shooting guard. Averaging 31.5 points per game on 51 percent shooting, KD has proven his name to belong with the greats, but does he deserve the label of number one?

The stats are leaning in Durant’s favor; however, the stats don’t tell the whole story.

When LeBron James decided to take his talents to South Beach in 2010, he joined a team of superstars including Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, who were both the leading scorers on their previous teams. Egos and talents were tested in their first season, but the Heat still made it to the finals. It took James dropping three games in the finals and losing to Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks for him to come to the realization that true sacrifices needed to be made. In order to win, LeBron needed to sacrifice personal statistics.

The 2011-2012 season saw the enormous rise of King James. In the true fashion of a champion, LeBron sacrificed his own stats in order to gain team wins. Taking an average of five less shots a game, LeBron was able to engage all of his teammates on the court and boost overall team confidence.

During the same season, Durant averaged three more shots per game and five more minutes per game than James, however LeBron was still able to average numbers almost identical to KD’s while still keeping the trust and confidence of his team. Durant averaged 28 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while James averaged 26 points per game, eight rebounds and six assists. The end of the 2011-2012 would bring James his first finals championship after winning three straight against Durant. James would also take home his first finals MVP.

The 2012-2013 season would highlight Durant’s weaknesses while proving James’ unmatched dominance in the game. Both players had remarkable seasons; however, KD and the OKC Thunder would not make it past the second round of the playoffs. When Patrick Beverly of the Houston Rockets took out OKC’s all-star point guard Russell Westbrook, all the pressure fell upon Durant’s shoulders. Already ahead two games to zero in the series, Durant barely scraped out a third win without Westbrook, before dropping two straight to the Rockets. Winning game six and the first game in the Memphis series, hopes were high for the Thunder and Durant was beginning to prove that he could win without Westbrook. However these hopes would be lost as Durant and OKC would drop four straight, falling out of playoff contention.

The true sign of a superstar is the ability to carry your team to a victory even when your team doesn’t show up, physically or mentally, for a game. Miami suffered a season plagued with injuries, especially from all-star Dwayne Wade. And after a near record-setting 27-game win streak, the Heat were mentally and physically exhausted. James time and time again put the team on his back and carried the Heat to their second straight finals championship. LeBron would once again bring home the finals MVP.

Although Durant does not have any championship victories yet, his league accomplishments cannot be downplayed. KD is a three-time NBA scoring champion and a member of the prestigious 50-40-90 club. There is no doubt that Durant is one of the best scorers in the game. But scoring isn’t everything; it is well known that offense sells tickets, but defense wins games. Where is KD’s defense? Durant’s defense is as prevalent as the championship banners hanging from OKC’s rafters. . .it’s nonexistent. Until Durant establishes a defensive presence, OKC is going to have a tough time winning in big games.

James may not be a member of the 50-40-90 club; however, he is a five-time NBA All-Defensive First Team member. James prides himself on his defense and admitted to being thoroughly disappointed when he didn’t win the 2012-2013 Defensive Player of the Year when he instead won NBA Most Valuable Player, (for the fourth time in five years). It is this mentality that has put James and the Miami Heat in the finals three years in a row.

When Kevin Durant establishes a dominant defensive presence and gains the leadership capability to carry his team through adversity, then maybe we will see him with a ring or two. But until then, Durant will continue to occupy the number two spot in the league while the reign of King James prevails.