KEVIN DURANT vs. KOBE BRYANT
PLAYOFF GAME 1
ALL-MET ELITE
The NBA's two top scorers and two most notable antagonists got here in opposite fashion with Kevin Durant, Harden and the Thunder needing just four games to oust the reigning NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, while Kobe Bryant, World Peace and Lakers survived a seven-game war with the younger and deeper Denver Nuggets. An aging Kobe is still one of the best four of five players on the planet and was a top five candidate to win another MVP award. Bryant, the 2009 and 2010 NBA Finals MVP, has logged a ton of NBA minutes and will occasionally lose his legs for a spell but when feeling spry he's still one of the most difficult players in the league to deal with at both ends of the floor. He ranked fourth in the NBA at 38.5 minutes per game this season, a shade behind Durant, who is in his early 20s. To win Bryant will have to go 40-plus a night, which could affect his ability as a lockdown defender. Like Bryant, Durant is one of the top players in the game and arguably the best pure scorer since Michael Jordan or Allen Iverson. He just captured his third straight scoring title, edging Bryant and becoming the first since Jordan in 1995-1998. Defenses must protect the perimeter and watch an occasional drive to the lane by Durant. Durant also led the Thunder with eight rebounds per game and is an underrated defender, so he's a major contributor in all aspects.
No comments:
Post a Comment