"I've always said KD was a 7-foot version of Steph Curry" - Chris Broussard compares Kevin Durant with Curry, says the latter will move ahead in the GOAT conversation with a title this season
Given that Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are the frontrunners for the 2022 MVP award right now, there are bound to be debates surrounding who the better player is. Curry's Golden State Warriors made the trip to the Barclays Center and asserted their dominance Tuesday, thrashing Durant's Brooklyn Nets 117-99.
That victory, coupled with the surprising "MVP" chant for Curry while playing on Kevin Durant's home floor, has him as the favorite for the 2022 NBA's Most Valuable Player award. Furthermore, pundits are beginning to consider placing Curry ahead of Durant, "The Slim Reaper," for consideration among the all-time best players.
Steph Curry and Kevin Durant are now the highest-rated players in 2K at 97. 🔥 https://t.co/sYsEIKIlvt
Chris Broussard, a co-host on "First Things First," spoke on how a title for Steph Curry this year is enough to rank him above Kevin Durant. He started making his point by referencing a conversation he had with former Detroit Pistons great Isiah Thomas.
"Isiah always tells me, he says, 'Look, when you guys in the media make your list of top-10 players or your GOAT conversation, you're really talking about players 6-6 and above. 'Cause you never ever consider anybody that's like below 6-6.'"
He went further, saying:
"I had to start thinking about this, Nick. Why do I have KD ahead of Steph? Now, you made an interesting point, when they were together, it looked like KD was the better player. But I've always said that KD is a 7-foot version of Steph Curry."
Broussard went on to compare both players, saying Kevin Durant's height gives him a rebounding advantage.
However, after citing Steph Curry's impressive resume and his ability to lead a team without a top 75 teammate to a championship, he concluded there's no reason he should not be ranked ahead of Kevin Durant.
"For the time being, if Steph wins a championship, yeah, what's to stop him from moving ahead of Durant?"
If Steph Curry leads Golden State to this year's title, the only reason to rank Kevin Durant ahead of him is height! twitter.com/FTFonFS1/statu…
There is no disputing how Kevin Durant will be seen in league history. Although he will undoubtedly be one of the greats, he still has some time to elevate higher among the league's all-time greatest players.
What are Kevin Durant's chances of winning the NBA title this season?
Although early in the season, given how the Nets have played so far, they do not look like they are formidable enough to contend for the championship.
Kevin Durant cannot be faulted for any of the Nets' poor outings. The 6-foot-11 forward has continually performed at an efficient clip. However, he struggled in the matchup against the Warriors, going 0-for-8 from the field in the entire third quarter, mostly because of the defensive genius of Golden State's Draymond Green.
Kevin Durant is shooting 71% from midrange this season. Cheat code. https://t.co/mvkM04uWRH
Despite their offseason moves and the hype surrounding the Nets entering the 2021-22 season, they have grossly underperformed expectations. James Harden, Patty Mills and LaMarcus Aldridge have been elite bucket-getters in the past, but they have not consistently been at their best this season.
In 16 games, Kevin Durant is averaging 28.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 56.7% from the field. He leads the league in scoring with 457 total points, followed by Steph Curry with 402.
Although Kevin Durant has been the best scorer in the league, he would need to turn his game up a notch if he is to will this struggling Nets team to a championship. KD, a one-time MVP, has yet to win a championship away from the Warriors, while Steph Curry, a two-time MVP, has one more title besides the two he won while Durant played for Golden State.