2014 NBA Playoffs: Serge Ibaka to miss remainder of postseason due to calf injury

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka is expected to be shelved for the remainder of the postseason with a left calf injury sustained in Game 6 of the Thunder's second round series with the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Ibaka hobbled off the court in the third quarter of Game 6, and did not return as the Thunder clinched the series with a 104-98 victory over the Clippers. Ibaka underwent an MRI on Friday, and the team proceeded to announce his status after learning of Serge's crippled state. 

The injury has been classified as a grade two strain of the plantaris, an injury that must be nursed carefully as it has a high reinjury probability according to OKC general manager Sam Presti.

In a statement issued by Presti, he stated the following: "We are obviously disappointed for Serge, as he is a tremendous competitor, and we know how badly he wants to be on the court with his teammates. At this point it is important that our team directs its concentration and energy towards preparation and execution for our upcoming series. As with all teams, our group has confronted different challenges. It is our collective experience that we will call on to ensure that we play to our capabilities."

A return to the Thunder is highly unlikely for Ibaka Presti announced on Friday evening in a conference call with reporters, providing the Thunder with a multitude of questions in the avenue of who their third legitimate scorer will be.

Last year, Oklahoma City was dealt a mammoth blow, as superstar Russell Westbrook was sidelined for the entire postseason with a torn meniscus in his right knee. This year is Ibaka, greatly slimming down the Thunder's chances of claiming victory against the Spurs in this series.

These injuries simply highlight the fragility of championship hopes, as one simple misstep or tweak can transform the brightest burning championship fire to an unanticipated flameout. 

Serge Ibaka was averaging 12.2 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 2.2 BPG through 13 playoff games. He also had a career year, posting highs in points with 15.1 a game and rebounds with 8.8 during the regular season. 

The Thunder will surely miss Ibaka and his intimidating interior defensive presence, as they attempt to slow down the sly and crafty Tony Parker and the extreme fundamentalist maneuvers of Tim Duncan. 

The Western Conference Finals begin on Monday in San Antonio, as Oklahoma City hopes to build on the fantastic regular season success it had against the Spurs.

The Thunder swept the season series 4-0 against the Spurs, who's 62 wins provided them with the best record in the league this year.


Does OKC still have a chance without Ibaka? Hit me on Twitter with thoughts and opinions (@wcboyer24) and continue to support The Basketball Society.

2014 NBA Playoffs: Paul, Clippers open vs Thunder in convincing fashion

Clippers 122, Thunder 105
Kevin Durant: 25 points (9-19 FG,) 4 rebounds, 4 assists
Chris Paul: 32 points (12-14 FG, 8-9 3PT,) 2 rebounds, 10 assists

Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers managed to plow through the Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in a physically and emotionally draining seven game series. After trudging through the  Dubs and the controversy that arose when Clippers owner Donald Sterling made extremely controversial racial remarks, it was easy to expect that the physical and emotional ware and tare of the past few weeks would lead to a letdown for the Clippers in game one of their second round series with the Thunder.

Chris Paul and company proved this notion to be false, as they steamrolled Oklahoma City Monday night in Chesapeake Bay Arena 122-105, behind Chris Paul's aggressive and spectacular performance. Paul was in his finest form, beautifully orchestrating the Clippers half court attack, that featured a crispness that simply overwhelmed the OKC defense.

Oklahoma City wanted no part of the Clippers in the half court, failing to execute their defensive schemes properly, leading to open range on the perimeter for the Clippers and ultimately the Thunder's defeat. Chris' point guard prowess was on full display, as he used a plethora of dribble moves and big time shots to hammer away at the Thunder defense.

Paul had the Clipper attack in full throttle, making the correct reads, setting up guys for excellent shots and dissecting the Thunder D time and time again. Paul had an enormous night, pouring in 32 points and 10 assists. Paul was 12-14 from the field, and drilled 8 of 9 three pointers, including 5 in the first quarter.

Paul's performance made him the first player since Michael Jordan with at least 30 points, 10 assists and 75% in a playoff game. Jordan did it in the 1991 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

His 10 dimes set up Blake Griffin to score 23 points, and played a huge role in netting JJ Redick his 12 points and Matt Barnes his 10 points as well. He set up the Clipper offense that shot 54% from the floor and 51% from behind the arc.

No, they can't rely on shooting 54% every night. Yes, it is unrealistic to think that they will connect on 51% of their three pointers on a nightly basis throughout the series, but the Clippers and more specifically Paul sent a message to the league tonight. They are deep, well coached, hungry and truly are for real in terms of being a championship contender. They are one of the fiercest competitors in the championship hunt, and are ready to feast on any team that prevents them from accomplishing their dream.

Paul was firing on all cylinders, obliterating any and everyone that Oklahoma City threw at him. He came out focused and aggressive, forcefully showcasing the talents many have been questioning due to CP3's lack of playoff success.

When many claim that CP3 is the best point guard in the league, naysayers enjoy claiming that he hasn't had the playoff success of counterparts LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose. Many want to pinpoint the fact that Paul hasn't made it past the second round of the playoffs, constantly pointing to this fact as the major flaw in Paul's game.

Playoffs do define and shape legacies to an extent, but someone's complete career success shouldn't be dependent on what took place in the postseason, especially when their contributions are the main reason that team is in the playoffs.

Paul stated earlier in the playoffs that he's tired of going home early. He's tired of the postseason shortcomings and personal frustrations. These past missteps don't matter, as the league's best point guard is now being provided with his best team during his tenure in the league.

He has a top 10 player in Blake Griffin as a running mate, a completely confident and defensively dominant DeAndre Jordan, a sniper in JJ Redick, 6th man of the year in Jamal Crawford and an excellent coach in Doc Rivers. The keys have been given to Chris Paul, and things look so swell with him at the helm of this sleek yet powerful vehicle that is the Los Angeles Clippers.

Paul's focus is making sure that an early exit does not become a reality for Los Angeles. He want's the Clippers dominating his western conference foes to be the lasting image for basketball fans as the days of the NBA Playoffs dwindle down. For the last several years, the last picture of Paul that was snapped was one of him marching off the floor into another summer of anguish and disgust.


Tonight, Paul wanted to silence those that stated he would struggle to contain Westbrook. Chris wanted to hush those that yapped bout his past postseason miscues. He wanted to show the world that he's not only the league's best point guard, but one of the league's best player.

Paul carried out this duty through pure and utter dominance of the Thunder on Monday night, and he hopes this success can be sustained for the remainder of the series.

No, there is no need to overreact. It's simply just one game, and the tide of a series can change fairly quickly and surprisingly. But, it's time to show recognition to the Clippers as one of the league's deepest and most talented ball clubs.

They boast a boatload of talent, with the ability to go nearly two deep at every position. Their assault is absolutely relentless, with the most confident and skilled commander to lead them in the trenches. Paul is absolutely the mantle when it comes to point guards, as there is simply no comparison in today's league.

Those playoff shortcomings may not loom any longer, as Paul and company will look to truly pounce on OKC Wednesday, and take a 2-0 series lead heading back to Los Angeles.

The high shooting percentages the Clippers thrived off of in game one will likely vanish in the next contest, but this could be just the beginning of Chris Paul's brilliance in this series. As the chatter of him not being a superstar gets louder and louder, Paul will continue to turn up the notch on his level of dominance.

Maybe then, the doubters will be silenced, electing to appreciate the genius of the league's best point guard Chris Paul.

Impressed with Paul's start in the second round? Share thoughts and opinions with me on Twitter (@wcboyer24) and continue to support The Basketball Society. 

2014 NBA Playoffs: Elimination Thursday?

The NBA Playoffs this year have been marvelous, as basketball fans have been treated to intense and exciting matchup's on a nightly basis. Whether it's the now casual four point play, or an exhausting overtime session, the postseason has provided spectators with a fantastic contests that has all of us itching for more.

The thought of this trend continuing on Thursday is incredibly feasible, as three teams face elimination and the possibility of their season concluding much earlier than they had hoped. The Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder all could be forced to rest on their laurels for the remainder of the postseason, and ponder what necessary tweaks must be made to propel them to championship heights they dream of.

Oklahoma City Thunder (2) vs Memphis Grizzlies (7) (Grizzlies lead 3-2)

The Memphis Grizzlies have wrestled away all hope and belief from the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder, a unit driven by the star talent of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are vividly frustrated and baffled, as the Grizzlies have been able to dominate them through five games. Although many considered the Grizz to be a respectable foe, no one anticipated Memphis snatching the series away from OKC. Any spectacular OKC run, shot or moment, Memphis has countered with physicality and poise.

A huge reason why Memphis has found great success is their ruthless attack of the paint. The Grizzlies are averaging 49.6 points per game in the paint, which ranks them as the second highest interior scoring team behind Houston.

What's been most troubling for Kevin Durant and company is the uncharacteristic struggles he is enduring. Durant is averaging 28 points per game in the series, but is shooting 40% from the field and 35% from three. He's been bothered physically and psychologically by Tony Allen, and the possibility of elimination is beginning to rear it's ugly head.

For the Thunder to overcome this deficit, they must play smarter basketball. This close knit unit is proving to not trust each other, often taking turns on the offensive end. The two biggest culprits are Durant and Westbrook, who elect to attack individually opposed to together, which in turn makes it easier for the stifling Grizzlies defense to contain them.

When Westbrook and Durant bind their talents for good, OKC is seemingly unstoppable. The duo's scoring ability puts immense pressure on defenses, opening opportunities for others to contribute. This obviously has not been the case, as the Grizzlies defense has stopped OKC's high octane offense right in it's tracks.

The Thunder are being defeated by the talented and defensive savvy Grizzlies team, but are also hindering their chances to succeed with an abundance of turnovers, simplistic play design by the head coach and late game mistakes. The Thunder are defeating themselves at times, and if game six proves to be like the rest of the series, Kevin Durant will be the first MVP eliminated from the first round since Dirk in 2007.

No player on the Thunder with the exception of Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka are shooting over 41% in this series. Westbrook is shooting 34.4%, Reggie Jackson is shooting 38.1% and Derek Fisher is shooting 30%.

Somehow, in the midst of all these ugly figures, there has been four overtime contests in a row, with OKC having the opportunity to claim victory in all of them. Late game miscues has staved off victory for the Thunder, but with players like Durant and Westbrook, anything is possible.

Don't expect OKC to lay down in die yet. Tonight I expect an incredible output from OKC. They will come out controlled and focused, and will force a game seven. From there, it's anyone's series, which is fitting with the way these playoffs have unfolded.


Indiana Pacers (1) vs Atlanta Hawks (8) (Hawks lead 3-2)

Indiana has been faltering for a prolonged period of time. Many were under the assumption that the Pacers would awaken from their slumber when the playoffs commenced. This has not been the case, as the Hawks have put two drubbings on the Pacers in Indiana. Roy Hibbert's contributions have been minimal, as he's struggled to string together a dominant game offensively, and has been taken out of his domain by the three point shooting Pero Antic and Paul Millsap.

Atlanta's offense, has done a remarkable job of extracting Hibbert from the paint, making darts to the rim fairly easy for Jeff Teague and Lou Williams.

The glamor and hype that was latched to the Pacers name all season long has subsided, and their season may come to a screeching halt if they don't correct their many mistakes. Their offense at time's is plagued by indecisiveness. They aren't moving the ball or their bodies, as many just stand motionless waiting for Paul George or Lance Stephenson to make a remarkable play.

The swagger that this team possessed has vanished. Their confidence has been demolished. The restoration of this confidence and swagger may come via a matchup with the Miami Heat. I firmly believe that if Indiana meets Miami in the conference finals, we will see the Pacers team that many claimed had the ability to win a championship.

The issue is, Indiana's horrific play has them seemingly doomed. They may not even reach a matchup with Miami to wake them out of their slumber. The Hawks are playing loosely and free. All the pressure is on Indiana. The true mark of a champion is responding to pressure and controversy accordingly. Will tonight be the next chapter in Paul George's journey to superstardom? Or will tonight prove to be the beginning of a long and miserable offseason?

Tonight, I expect Indiana's season to conclude. I truly hope they prove me wrong, and it won't be surprising if they do, but how can they overcome to this pressure? They haven't responded well to pressure since the start of their downward spiral, and that won't change tonight.


Los Angeles Clippers (3) vs Golden State Warriors (6) (Clippers lead 3-2)

The controversy swirling around the Clippers has many ignoring the fact that we've been treated to an incredible series between Los Angeles and Golden State. After a strong effort Tuesday night, Chris Paul and company look to march into Oracle Arena and have this series conclude once and for all.

They could use rest, especially from a mental standpoint as things continue to settle between Los Angeles and disgraceful owner Donald Sterling. Eventually the vote will come that will purge the NBA of an ignorant and shameful figure, but for now, the Clips must continue to play ball.

This matchup tonight has me somewhat apprehensive. The depth, talent and coaching of the Clippers makes them an appealing pick to close out the series, but I originally picked this series to go the distance. We seem to be in a perfect position for this to occur, but I wouldn't be surprised if Los Angeles dashed out of Oracle with a victory.

Steph Curry is blistering hot from three point land in Oracle, as he's connecting on 45% of his bombs from behind the arc. Also, swingman Andre Iguodala has been showcasing his talents at home, averaging 16 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists at home. In addition to these solid figures, Iggy is shooting 58% from the floor in the friendly confines of Oracle.

Draymond Green has been the unsung hero in this series, as his high basketball IQ, defensive versatility and effort has helped Golden State who has elected to go "small" by inserting Green into the starting lineup.

For the Clippers, star point guard Chris Paul has to come to play tonight. On the road this postseason, Paul hasn't had his most promising play, only averaging 15 points and 8 assists on 45% shooting. Paul may need to register a virtuoso performance from a point guard's standpoint to provide the Clippers with a victory.

Tonight, the Warriors and their fans will be too much for the Clippers to conquer. The game will be hotly contested and intense, but GSW will force a game seven back in Los Angeles, where the Clippers will eventually prevail.


Agree? Disagree? Hit me with thoughts and opinions on Twitter (@wcboyer24) and continue to support The Basketball Society. 

Top 5 Active NBA Point Guards- #4

4. Stephen Curry 

With his speedy release and silky smooth ball handling ability, fans have become infatuated with watching Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry perform on a highly basis. Curry softens the most hardened of defenses with seemingly impossible three point makes, that mirror the ones you may see in a game of NBA2K14. Defenses become incensed when Curry is drilling the shots they are begging him to take, and the Oracle Arena crowd is sent into a frenzy, as Stephen puts on a circus act with unimaginable three point precision. 

For Steph, the most celebrated aspect of his game may be his accuracy from behind the arc, but he's becoming a well rounded player that has kept GSW's hopes of a deep playoff run intact despite the plethora of injuries the team has endured. The desired starting lineup of Curry, Thompson, Iguodala, Lee and Bogut have only played a total of 43 games together, as each player has been attempting to cope with nagging injuries. Curry has played the most amount of games out of those aforementioned players, competing in 76 games, only second to Klay Thompson's participation in 78 contests. 

For Curry this is impressive, as he's dealt with his fare share of injuries to his ankles throughout his early career. The sign of durability and dependability is encouraging for GSW as well, knowing they can depend on a top tier point guard to always be at their disposal against the stiffest of competition. With a roster that bolsters as much talent as the Dubs do on paper, the 6th seed seems to be somewhat disappointing, but all of the injuries could've had them in a much more unfortunate position. 

Golden State can move up before next Saturday's playoffs commence, but to do so they will need some luck and or a some virtuoso performances from Stephen Curry. The performances don't seem to be an issue, as Curry led GSW on Friday with 30 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in only 35 minutes of work against the lowly Los Angeles Lakers.

On the season, Curry is averaging 23.6 PPG (career high,) 8.5 APG (career high,) and 4.3 RPG. The former Davidson Wildcat is shooting 47% from the field and 42% from three showing that consistency is highly in his favor. His usage rate is as high as it's ever been (28.2 up from 26.4 last year) but Golden State is content with this, as Curry has delivered time and time again for the championship hungry team. 

In statistics among point guards, Curry is 1st in scoring, 4th in rebounds, 2nd in FGM and FG%, 6th in assists and 3rd in double-doubles with 27, which includes 4 triple-doubles. Curry is 7th in scoring amongst all players, and his 247 three point field goal makes can be accredited to this. Curry is more than a 3 point specialist, but drilling bombs from beyond the arc is what he does better than anyone else, and this is what makes him incredibly lethal. From the 5 major three point areas on the court (right corner, right wing, straight ahead, left wing, left corner,) Curry is shooting 37% or better from each area. Omit the right corner, and Curry is shooting above 40% from all of the other spots. 

Curry also thrives in crunch time, as his performances in the clutch place him statistically as one of the top clutch players in the league. In the 38 games that have produced "crunch time" Curry is averaging 3.4 PPG which is 6th among qualifying players. He's shooting an 41% in these situations, higher than the likes of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. 

On pull-up jumpers, Curry is shooting 60% from the floor. On step-back jump shots, Steph is shooting 65% from the field. This is remarkable, as most defenses would be content with a player having to consistently knock down a shot of that nature. With a player of Curry's caliber, defenses are forced to adjust accordingly, and just when they do so, Curry uses his wizard like ball handling ability and craftiness to get others involved along with creating for himself.

Curry is averaging a career high in assists, as he's grown more comfortable with playing the point guard position. His assists have generated 1,440 points the highest of his career and 259 more points than last year. He is averaging nearly 4 turnovers per game, (3.8,) but the climb in that figure shouldn't be too surprising as it was mentioned before that Curry's usage rate has increased. If Golden State wants to shake things up in the western conference, Steph has to devote himself to having that turnover per game number shrink when the playoffs begin.

Steph is able to slice and dice through the defense when they attempt to take away his air space, as his sly and quick movements allow him for effective and deadly penetration. He can dump it off to one of his talented bigs for a layup or dunk, or sling it out to the other "Splash Brother," Klay Thompson for a three point bomb. Curry is playing calm, cool and collected basketball and he hopes to lead Golden State on a furious run in the postseason. With a win in Portland tonight, the Warriors will have their first 50 win season since 1993-1994. Curry would've only been 6 years old. The 26 year old hopes to cement his own legacy in GSW, as that passionate fan base yearns for a major accomplishment. 

If anyone can bring these accomplishments it's Curry. He's recognized as one of the leagues top point guards and players, but to truly become respected he must generate some type of postseason success for the Dubs. Right now would be a fantastic time to start, and if a surprising deep postseason run occurs for GSW, Curry could easily find himself moving up on this list. 

*All statistics were researched BEFORE GSW's game against Portland on Sunday.
*Steph Curry is the first player to make 250 three's in multiple seasons

Do you think Stephen Curry is a top 5 point guard in the NBA? Should he be ranked higher or lower? Hit me on Twitter with thoughts (@wcboyer24) and remember to continue to support The Basketball Society. 

All-NBA Picks 2013-14

The All-NBA teams are my favorite awards of the year. The concept for finding out who was best in a certain season that is the All-Star teams is already great. The All-NBA teams take that idea and remove the variables of fans voting for the most popular players over the best like Kobe this year, the East-West division causing greats like Tim Duncan to miss the game while guys like Joe Johnson make it in, and the fact that a midseason analysis can't possibly cover things like Paul George's late season nosedive and Goran Dragic's second half rise. The All-NBA teams give you a definitive ranking of who were the top players at each position in a season. Only a select few get to vote for the actual teams, but that won't stop me from delivering my picks for the All-NBA squads for 2013-14.

2013-14 Third Team All NBA: (find past Third Team All-NBA results here)

G: Tony Parker

Every single year Parker gets underrated because he doesn't put up the kind of numbers that guys like Chris Paul do. It's easy to forget that the guy plays 28 minutes a game like the rest of the Spurs, and his absolutely masterful offensive game. Watch him closely, Tony has some moves that no one else in basketball even dares to try. 

G: John Wall

Michael Conley Jr. deserves consideration for this spot even though he likely won't get it. Conley and Wall actually have similar resumes, from points and assists per game to advanced stats like PER. Wall gets the edge for emerging as the star of the 5 seeded Wizards, while Conley has been at this level for a while and plays with two intimidating big men in Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol who help get him looks and assists. Wall doesn't play with anyone close to their level and still has a slight statistical edge on Conley, which is why I gave him the nod. 


F: Carmelo Anthony

If you think the Knicks are a train wreck now, wait until you see them without the perennially underrated Melo next season. Yeah, I said it. Go ahead and call me out on it if it doesn't happen. What reason does he have to stay? By the way, I originally had Anthony on the second team. But with how stacked the forward position is, New York's struggles push him down to third team for me.


F: Dirk Nowitzki

The forward position is absolutely stacked. There were so many candidates for this spot: Anthony Davis has emerged as a superstar, Kawhi Leonard has silently become a defensive assassin and improved his offensive game, Paul George had a great start to the season, Kevin Love carried the Wolves to an above-.500 record. But I have to give Dirk the nod here for being the leader and best player on a team that absolutely never should have made the playoffs. And I have to admit that I've been a huge Dirk fan for years and that any of the above candidates would be just as deserving here. But I'll give Nowitzki the nod, because to me all the candidates are pretty much evil on paperit takes something extra to be the emotional leader and best player on a playoff team, something none of the others can claim.

C: Al Jefferson

Another tough one. I gave the nod to Big Al over Dwight Howard for a similar reason that I chose Dirk for that last forward spot: Jefferson has led the Bobcats to the playoffs with pretty much just Kemba and coach Steve Clifford as help while Dwight has the best SG in the league, one of the best three point shooters in the league, a top defensive point guard, and a solid bench to help him out. Even if the Bobcats wouldn't be in the West playoffs, they're still Al's squad and he's certainly stepped it up in his first year in Charlotte.

2013-14 Second Team All NBA: (past results here)

G: Chris Paul

Despite missing a solid month in the middle of the season, CP3 has been as excellent as ever. He led the league in assists per game by a significant margin and has developed a true chemistry with Blake Griffin. This season we've seen Paul's absolute peak.

G: Goran Dragić

Dragić has made an incredible leap and he's suddenly a very real candidate for one of these spots. He's an extremely efficient scorer and nearly led a Suns cast that looks sub par on paper to the playoffs. I'm hoping Dragić can keep it going through next season- the Eric Bledsoe-Dragić-Gerald Green backcourt was one of the NBA's most exciting this season.

F: LaMarcus Aldridge

Aldridge is the total leader of that Portland team that became one of the league's biggest surprises, starting off the season hot and never relinquishing a playoff spot. He was an early season MVP candidate and he's redefined what that team is and helped take some of the leadership load off Dame Lillard.


F: Blake Griffin

For the first time in his career, no one is talking about Blake Griffin. Yet he's having what is by far his best season ever. He's improved in all facets of his game- no one can say he "just dunks" now.

C: Tim Duncan

There's no chance Duncan ends up here on the real team- he'll either be on third team or completely out of the race because guys like Dwight Howard and Al Jefferson have more buzz. But man, is the guy efficient. He's averaging very similar numbers to Howard despite playing almost five less minutes per game. It's unbelieveable that the guy can still do this. The debate over whether to call him a center or a forward might also hurt Duncan, but since he was classified as a center in his first-team placing last year I'll keep him there.

2013-14 First Team All-NBA: (past results here)

G: Stephen Curry

While Curry is a defensive liablity, he's a master of offense, probably the league's best offensive player. Steve Nash won two MVPs with that formula, so why can't it work for Curry?

G: James Harden

Like Curry, Harden isn't great at defense, and does sometimes make dumb plays on that end, but his slashing ability is unparalleled in the league. Remember when the NBA's best shooting guard was a debate? Well, now it's not even close.

F: Kevin Durant

Come on, you think I'd leave the MVP off the All-NBA First Team?

F: LeBron James

Come on, you think I'd leave the best player in the league off the All-NBA First Team?

C: Joakim Noah
Joakim is gonna run away with Defensive Player of the year and he's become an amazing passer, something non-Bulls fans might not know. The guy is regularly getting near triple doubles, and since the Luol Deng trade he's averaging over 7 assists per game to go with his double-double in points and boards. This has been a major season of improvement for Noah and he's become the league's best center.

Why Kevin Durant is this year's MVP

This season, we've heard many names lobbed into the pool for possible MVP candidates. Paul George, Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge have departed from this pool due to lack of sustained excellence throughout the season. LeBron James and Kevin Durant mingled in the pool all season long, as they provided millions of basketball fans with spectacular plays and brilliant performances. Now, as the conclusion of the 2013-14 NBA season dawns upon us, it is evident who is deserving of the MVP award. That man would be Oklahoma City superstar Kevin Durant.

The former Texas University standout is averaging a career high 32.2 PPG, along with a career high 5.6 APG. In addition to bolstering his assist and scoring numbers, Durant has managed to average 7.6 RPG and shooting a scorching hot 50.8% from the field and 40.5% from behind the arc. The Thunder currently are 2 and a half games behind the blistering hot San Antonio Spurs who are on a 14 game win streak, and Kevin Durant is a mammoth reason why OKC is in such fantastic position to possibly claim regular season western conference supremacy. One could glance at the statistics and rant and rave about Durant's numbers, but numbers don't fully illustrate the graceful and beautiful picture that is Kevin Durant's play.

Durant is playing with a ferociousness that has intensified with each passing season. The once lovable, friendly, lanky forward who's play that had everyone infatuated, has transformed into a nasty, aggressive and dominant forward that has commanded not only MVP praise, but best player in the league praise as well. When will Durant be heralded by every major media outlet and the majority of fans as the league's best player? Time will tell, but if he can sustain this level of excellence, that time may be marching towards us rather quickly.

The 25 year old Durant has anchored Oklahoma City in almost every department this season. His ever improving defense has the opposition stifled on the perimeter. His combination of grace, length and athletic ability disturbs the rhythm of even the most potent offensive forces, staving off offense success for opposing teams. His improved playmaking ability makes him an even deadlier force on the offensive end, and his ability to score the ball is something he wields so masterfully. Durant slices and dices through any defense, leaving the toughest of defenders in a doozy with his graceful moves.

The most impressive thing about all of this, is that Durant has done this with the Thunder being jabbed my a bevy of injuries. Most notably, all-star point guard Russell Westbrook has been sidelined by a number of aliments to his knees, as he's only participated in 38 games. Starting shooting guard Thabo Sefolosha has been hindered by a calf injury and starting center Kendrick Perkins has been placed on the shelf due to a left groin strain. None of this seems to matter, as Durant's incredible play whisks away any worry the OKC Thunder organization may have.

Kevin Durant is this years MVP, but satisfaction with this thought isn’t enough for the 6’9 forward. Thoughts of an NBA championship rock him to his core, and while an individual accolade such as the MVP award would be glorious in terms of cementing his legacy, a NBA Finals MVP would mean much more to KD as it would result in him tallying his first NBA championship. It will be interesting to see if Durant and company can produce a championship for the Thunder franchise, but with his stellar play it’s very possible.

Follow me on twitter "@wcboyer24" and please share your thoughts and comments with me and as always, continue to support The Basketball Society.

Dwayne Wade (41 pts) vs. LeBron James (42 pts) - 2009 #tbt

Kevin Durant thinks his former teammate James Harden is a top ten player over Dwayne Wade. Though I'm not fully sold on his premise, I thought I'd share a Throwback Thursday from a time when the argument would be fully dismissed. In what would be the final regular season for LeBron James in Cleveland, this was one of the last epic encounters between Wade and James before they would become teammates.

The video shows highlights from LeBron and Wade throughout the game, but most enjoyable to me is watching the old "Flash" dominate the basketball and play the point-man-decision maker for the Miami offense. Watching him operate the high pick-and-roll and facilitate was special because of his shifty nature. Wade finished the game with 41 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, and 7 steals. LeBron James countered with his own 42, and led the Cavaliers to a 107-100 victory.