#4 Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder
Season Averages: 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5 assists and 50.5% FG%
Player Efficiency Rating (PER): 28.23 (2nd best)
With Kevin Durant resting in the team’s final game against the San Antonio Spurs, his streak of scoring 20+ points stands at 64 games for the season, that’s the third longest such streak since the 1976-77 season. That says a lot about the consistency Durant brings for OKC every night.
Despite all the statistics, many would still pick Durant over Westbrook because in lesser minutes, in the role he plays, Durant is a lot more effective than Westbrook has ever been in his career.
Durant might not have as many triple-doubles as Westbrook does but the role he plays for the team is equal if not more important. Scoring comes easy to Durant so that’s what he primarily does for OKC but in his MVP season, when Westbrook missed a chunk of games, he proved he can do a lot more when asked upon and he’s been doing just that this season.
ESPN’s PER ranking puts him at second, just the one spot ahead of Westbrook.
OKC need to deflect to Durant a lot more in the fourth quarter, given the struggles Westbrook has suffered against big name teams and big name teams are what the Thunder are going to face in the Playoffs. Durant seems to be a lot more calm, composed and calculated when he has the ball, something the Thunder needs given their fourth quarter struggles this season.
The handles and Dirk type shooting that he possesses at his height still marvels many, even after the nine years he has been in the league. Watch some of his highlights here:
