Over the course of his 23-year-long NBA career, LeBron James has faced off against several great players. But few have been as talented and effective as Kevin Durant.
The Los Angeles Lakers‘ 100-92 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday night could be attributed to the team’s success in containing Kevin Durant in the fourth quarter. In light of their history, however, LeBron James was asked by the media to rate the toughest version of Durant he had ever had to guard.
“S**t, I mean, every version,” James responded. “He’s just getting better and better. Obviously, him in Golden State was super dynamic because you can’t just put multiple bodies in front of him because of the threat of Klay and Steph all the time. That was super dynamic.”
“Also, his time in Brooklyn, too. Obviously, a bit of a smaller sample, but when Kyrie and James [Harden] were out there, you couldn’t put multiple bodies [on him]. Anytime you can’t put multiple bodies on a great that has that ability to score the ball, it is very, very challenging.”
“We had our battles in the Finals, too. Even when he was young, and it was him, Russ [Westbrook], and James, it was… He’s never not been great at basketball. So, every version,” James concluded.
Despite being 37, Kevin Durant remains an elite offensive threat. While leading the Rockets in scoring with 26.0 points per game this season, the superstar is also highly efficient, shooting 51.5% from the field and 40.6% from three-point range.
While these are impressive figures, the Lakers’ defense greatly limited his production.
While restricting Durant to only 18 points for the entire game, the Purple and Gold ensured that the Rockets’ superstar scored only two points in the fourth quarter, capping off his total at four points in the second half. The combined effort from players like LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Marcus Smart proved critical in this endeavor.
In comparison, LeBron James matched Durant’s scoring with 18 points, five rebounds, and five assists (7-13 FG) of his own, but his impact was far more noteworthy.
Since embracing a secondary role in the Lakers’ rotation, LeBron James has become even more valuable to the Lakers. From sacrificing his body on hustle plays to taking a step back and allowing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to take over, James has accepted his role and transformed the Lakers in the process of doing so.
For all intents and purposes, Monday night’s win is a statement victory for the Lakers. Having beaten some of the top teams in the league in their last few outings, the Lakers now boast a 9-1 record in their last 10 games, emerging as one of the hottest teams in the NBA.
With a 43-25 record, the Lakers’ claim to third place in the West has only been strengthened. With the playoff atmosphere already settling in, the Purple and Gold seem to be rounding out smoothly.
