Since Westbrook reinjured his knee on Christmas, Durant's averages have somehow risen to 34.7 points, 53.4% shooting and 6.2 assists. It's the latter number that most impresses many around the Thunder who roll their eyes at the perception that Durant, a three-time scoring champ, is solely a prolific scorer.



Durant recently rolled up at least 25 points and four assists in 18 consecutive games, the league's longest streak in 40 years, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.


Durant has not only scored in bunches — he averaged 38 points during his 12-game scoring binge — but played lockdown defense and fostered a team-oriented approach. After the recent triumph over the Nets, he called attention to the passing of Jackson, the screens set by Kendrick Perkins and the 12-for-12 shooting of Ibaka.

"He's recognized that by getting other guys involved, it's creating much better opportunities for him," Oklahoma City General Manager Sam Presti said Wednesday by phone. "He's really gaining a sense of when to push and when to pull and a lot of his production is now being supported by efficiency and a lot of that is his willingness to help put the other guys that he shares the floor with in position to be successful and in turn it's creating easier opportunities for him."


Oklahoma City (42-12) hardly seems to miss Westbrook, as absurd as that notion might seem. The Thunder is 20-8 this season in games without its star point guard, including 19-7 since his latest setback, and actually has a better record than it did at this point two years ago when the team had both Westbrook and Harden alongside Durant.

Well give him a few championships and then we can start talking.

Dumb ESPN is already saying LeBron is top 4 all time so the bar ain't that high

He is in no way in the conversation... he isn;t staking claim... he might someday be there.... he is other-worldly... but he isn't even at Kobe's level yet and Kobe isn't in that conversation either.


Come on Ty.... next your be saying his sweat cures cancer.

Today's NBA players are bigger, faster, quicker, more athletic than ever before. Durant not just on his way to leading the league in scoring for the fourth year in past five, he's making everyone on his team better doing things with a combination of assists, rebounds, and scoring which is unrivaled in league history. It takes a certain hubris to claim he's goat, but being politically correct ain't for the Almighty Tyrone. I had this dude pegged the day he was drafted out of Texas and he's done nothing to disappoint. As with Pete Carroll, Tyrone be right and Monk be wrong.