“It’s Kevin Durant vs. the world; He’s leading the league in scoring and he’s the MVP" - Skip Bayless on KD being ahead in the MVP race for the season
Kevin Durant stands out amongst the players in full heat for the race to league MVP. Skip Bayless believes the Brooklyn Nets superstar is undoubtedly leading the pack and is backed by solid reasoning.
KD is fresh off a 51-point performance and is currently the league’s scoring leader, averaging 29.4 points a game — more than two above Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sits second on the list.
"It's Kevin Durant vs. the world. He's leading the league in scoring and he's the MVP."
— @RealSkipBayless https://t.co/cdj9jQohiq
Is Kevin Durant really leading for MVP?
The short answer seems to be: Yes.
Kevin Durant is fresh out of a dominant win from last night's game against the Detroit Pistons. Dropping 51 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists, he reminded everyone who the scoring king was. With James Harden resting, KD showcased the MVP essence in his blood by taking over the game and keeping his team atop the Eastern Conference.
Earlier in the season, the argument for MVP was a close conversation between Kevin Durant and Steph Curry. One of the outlining differences was KD having to step aside from his comfort zone to be a leader, with Harden not playing to his usual ability.
Durant has set his leading roots in the example he sets on the court. He is aggressive and confident, doing what he needs to when he needs to, without question. With this, we have seen KD pull away with both his scoring stats and leading abilities. All in a fresh role as sole team leader.
In the Warriors vs. Nets matchup on the 16th of November, Skip Bayless tweeted about the adjustments Kevin Durant was going to have to make for Brooklyn to win the game:
Kevin Durant is going to have to be even greater than I think he is for Brooklyn to win this game. The Warriors are just too deep in smart, skilled athletic basketball players who play tenacious D, and Steph is too driven hot from deep three.
Seeming to praise the Golden State Warriors and their star Steph Curry, it is interesting how the narrative contrasts with recent events. It seems Kevin Durant took the loss to the Warriors that day personally as he has grown in both stats and aggression.
Letting everyone on the court know who they are dealing with, KD keeps his mouth moving as much as the ball. That aggression bleeds into his teammates as he shows that he is not afraid of anything or anybody. It is an example of the tenacious fighter inside of him, never happy until the job is complete. It showcases his leadership.
The Brooklyn Nets currently sit first in the Eastern Conference as the only team still in single-digit losses. They lead with 19 wins to 8 losses while being without Kyrie Irving and standing with a seemingly troubled James Harden.
Kevin Durant is averaging 29.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists at 36.5 minutes. He is shooting an astonishing 52.9% from the field and 38.3% from the three-point line.
KD is leading not only his team but also the NBA in showing what it means to be a leader. He got dealt a bad hand of cards at the beginning of the season and is playing like he has a royal flush.