LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant: S.U. Debates

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LeBron James and Kevin Durant are undoubtedly the best two players in the NBA. Several NBA players have even gone on record to say that Kevin Durant is the more difficult player to defend against when compared to LeBron James. Durant is certainly on a rise, as he appears to be en-route to winning his 4th NBA scoring title and first ever NBA MVP award. Could an NBA title add to the list of accomplishments by Durant this season? I personally think Durant is the best scorer in the league but is he the overall best player above LeBron James? Has LeBron reached the top of his potential? Has Kevin Durant elevated his game? Join us in the latest edition of S.U. Debates.

Which player would you rather play alongside, LeBron or Durant?

Tyler Triplett: I’d rather play with LeBron James. Both players are incredibly unselfish but LeBron is a better passer and he’s more efficient. This means I would get the ball in a position to succeed and I wouldn’t have to worry about LeBron putting up a crazy amount of shots.

Jr. Williams: LeBron of course. He has the ability to make players better around him. He’s not a trigger happy player who looks to shoot the ball every chance he gets and he is the type of player who would make the necessary sacrifices in order to win, proof in his decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers and join the Miami Heat for a lesser salary.

Which player would you trust with the last shot?

Tyler Triplett: I’ll take Durant here because he is a better shooter and the last shot often is a jump shot. Not to mention if he was fouled on the last play, KD is nearly automatic from the free throw line.

Jr. Williams: I would trust Kevin Durant over LeBron James with the last shot. LeBron has the better career field goal percentage but Durant has better range. And because of his lengthy frame, his shot is the most difficult to block or disrupt, allowing him the ability to rise above any defender. When Durant takes the last shot, you can almost bank on him winning the game, he’s that efficient.

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Which player is the better scorer?

Tyler Triplett: Both players have the ability to score points in bunches but I’d say Durant is a better pure scorer. He’s a better shooter and also has the ability to get to the rim. He’s so tall and quick that he’s almost impossible to defend on the wing because he can shoot over smaller defenders and drive past the bigger ones.

Jr. Williams: Durant is obviously the better scorer, his three scoring titles should be evident of that, but don’t let LeBron fool you. He certainly has the ability to put up big scoring numbers on a nightly basis but he’s a different type of player who prefers to share the ball. I think people forget that Durant plays alongside Russell Westbrook – a player known to average similar field goal attempts per game as Durant. With all the erratic shot attempts by Westbrook, you have to give Durant credit because he still manages to put up big numbers in the scoring column on a nightly basis. Advantage – Kevin Durant.

Which player is the better defender?

Tyler Triplett: LeBron is a better defender. He’s big enough to guard players in the post and quick enough to lock down wing defenders. He’s also great at anticipating passes and uses his quickness to jump into passing lanes.

Jr. Williams: LeBron is the better defender hands down while I think Durant would be the most difficult player to score on because of his length. LeBron is stronger and can track down smaller players from both ends of the court. I don’t think Durant could keep up with smaller players, he’s better defending around the perimeter or near the basket, hes not the type of player to chase down guards but his reach will definitely surprise you.

Which player is the most difficult to defend against?

Tyler Triplett: This is the toughest question to me. Both players are extremely talented on the offensive side of the ball. I’ll go with LeBron because of the work he can do in the post. KD’s post game isn’t as good, and when LeBron’s shot is falling he simply can’t be stopped from scoring at will. And because he’s a better passer, LeBron will make you pay if you throw a double team at him.

Jr. Williams: From a one-on-one scoring perspective, I think Durant is the hardest to defend against because he’s such a superb shooter. Durant is the type of player you can’t afford to leave open, he will definitely make you pay for it. I keep referring back to Durant’s length because it makes him virtually unguardable by most of the players in the league. Durant is a match-up nightmare, I can’t say the same about LeBron.

Which player would win in a one-on-one game?

Tyler Triplett: I’ll take LeBron in a one-on-one game because he’s a better defender than Durant. I just think that Durant would have a hard time stopping LeBron from scoring. It would be a great game to watch, but I think LeBron would prevail.

Jr. Williams: It would be a close game between the two players, however, I think Durant would get the best of LeBron in a one-on-one game because were talking about a contest where the best scorer would win. LeBron has a better post-up game but I don’t think he could dominate Durant as easy as many may think. LeBron is great at defending smaller players but when he’s matched up against a true power forward, he’s defenseless.

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