Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
What Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant has done this season is simply remarkable. If he continues to play like he has — and I see no reason why he shouldn’t — we’re going to run of out of superlatives for, dare I say it, the 2013-14 NBA MVP. You should be counting your blessings if you were one of the lucky owners who was able to nab him in your fantasy basketball league’s draft, because unless something catastrophic happens, Durant will be at the top of my small forward (and overall) rankings for the remainder of the season.
Am I getting a little ahead of myself for crowning Durant MVP in January? I don’t think so. Even LeBron James himself wouldn’t put up an argument at this point in the season. As of Wednesday, Durant has led the Thunder to a 36-10 record, which is tops in the Western Conference, and just one game back in the loss column for the best record in the NBA behind the Indiana Pacers. For the most part, he has done this single-handedly, and that’s what makes this such an amazing accomplishment. Sure, he has the supporting cast in Serge Ibaka and Reggie Jackson, but fellow All-Star Russell Westbrook can’t stay healthy this year, playing in only 25 of OKC’s 46 games. Westbrook’s knee has been an issue all season and he was forced to undergo surgery for the third time on December 27. On that date, Durant transformed from a high-scoring All-Star to a league MVP.
“Westbrook, who?”
Durant’s stats were no slouch prior to Westbrook’s surgery — dazzling the league with 28.1 points (49 percent shooting), 8.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 1.9 threes — but it’s what came after that has made him the runaway favorite to take home the hardware. In the 17 games since Westbrook went down, Durant has led the Thunder to a 12-5 record, including their current eight-game winning streak. In that span he is averaging 36.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.9 blocks, and 2.6 threes, which he is shooting at a remarkable 41.3-percent clip. While on his current run, Durant is shooting 53.7 percent from the field — compared to 49 percent before — and has maintained an 88.3 percent mark from the free throw line throughout the entire campaign.
At this point, his box scores have become video game-like. He has four 40-point games in January, but his whopping 54-point showing vs. the Warriors on Jan. 17 was the most memorable performance of all. Leading OKC to a 127-121 win, Durant hit 19-of-28 shots from the field, including 5-of-8 three-pointers, and was automatic from the line, making 11-of-13 freebies. Check out his shot chart, courtesy of NBA.com — that’s a whole lotta green:
Durant’s shot chart vs. Golden State on Jan. 17, 2014
The Fire Within
After being somewhat of a quiet figure throughout his career, he seems to finally be unleashing the beast within, hitting countless game-winning or tying shots, including one to beat Atlanta on Monday. His new-found enthusiasm was on full display after he drains the clinching floater over DeMarre Carroll. You can see he the passion he is exuding, knowing that this may finally be the year his Thunder win an NBA Championship:
All the aforementioned accolades undeniably make Durant my clear cut No. 1-ranked small forward, as well as the top player in the NBA. LeBron has been “the man” for years, but could find himself on the outside looking in for some time to come. Without any more delay, I present to you this week’s fantasy basketball small forward rankings:
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