Kevin Durant and LeBron James putting up a show for the ages – NBA Feature
The matchup between Kevin Durant and LeBron James is the talking point of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both players are coming off epic regular seasons and leading their teams in an attempt
to capture their first NBA championship. The series is tied 1-1 after two games, and now shifts to the American Airlines Arena for the next three.
LeBron James is coming off the best season of his NBA career, as he has developed his game not just on offense but on defence as well. James was the season MVP and was also named in the All NBA Defensive 1st Team. Durant has also
had a remarkable season, becoming the scoring champion for the third time in his career and finishing runner up in the MVP race.
When the attention switched to the post season, both players upped their game to help their teams advance. James had monster games against Indiana and Boston when his teammates struggled on the court and guaranteed the victory
to his team. Durant earned a reputation for himself as the best closer in the game with massive 4th quarters to defeat teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.
Now both players are competing in the NBA Finals, and after two games their match-up has exceeded all expectations.
James had 30 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists in Game 1 against the Thunder. He was 11 of 24 from the field and 1 of 3 from the distance. In the fourth quarter, James had 7 points as he was shut down by the Thunder defence. Durant
had a slow start to the game but took over in the fourth quarter and scored 17 points in the period alone, to finish with 36 points on the night. He had 8 rebounds and 4 assists to go with his point tally and was 12 of 20 from the field and 4 of 8 from the
distance. Durant controlled the game and outdid LeBron to secure the victory for the Thunder.
In game 2 of the series, James finished with 32 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. He was 10 of 22 from the field and a perfect 12 of 12 from the foul line. James did not repeat his mediocre performance from the final period in
game 1 and took control of the game in the 4th quarter of game 2. He drove to the basket, got fouled and scored his free throws. He hit clutch shots to keep Miami ahead of a charging Thunder offense. He even defended Durant as he made an attempt
to steal a victory for the Thunder. James was dominant in the whole game and the main reason why the Heat had built a big lead in the 2nd period. Durant also finished with 32 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assists. He was in foul trouble early on and
had to play cautiously in the final period. Still, he managed to score 16 points in the 4th quarter and had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds. He missed and Miami got the victory. Durant was 12 of 22 from the field and 4 of 10 from
the distance, but managed only 6 free throw attempts as he tried to stay clear of fouls.
Two games into the series and both players are playing the best basketball of their careers. None is letting up which is making this contest one for the ages. It is difficult to decide who has the advantage over the other after
the first two games, but the difference might get more visible as the series prolongs. For now, all we know for now is that this is a matchup to be watched.
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