LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant in NBA basketball
People hope Kevin Durant will someday win an NBA title, but they don't really demand it. And as long as LeBron James is the league's undisputed king, that isn't going to change.
For the six seasons Durant has been in the league, he's managed to skate by without having to face the burdensome expectations that James shoulders on a yearly basis. Until he won his first ring, James started every campaign with questions about when he'd finally get over the top. And once he finally got there, the pressure lingered.
Instead of answering doubters who said he'd never break through, he had to face those who wondered if he'd be able to do it again.
Durant hasn't had to face that kind of pressure. Not even close, really.
What gives? Why is LBJ held to a championship-or-bust standard while KD gets pats on the back for accomplishing so much less?
The answer is complicated, and it says a whole lot about context, fan perception and the hierarchy of the NBA.Ironically, Durant came under fire for the first time in his career when he least deserved it. When the Oklahoma City Thunder lost Russell Westbrook against the Houston Rockets in the first round of last year's playoffs, Durant was still able to carry his team through the series.
But against the more dangerous Memphis Grizzlies, KD struggled. Especially down the stretch in close games.
Words that had never been uttered in regard to Durant started popping up in headlines as the superstar muddled his way through a series of disappointing fourth quarters. "Choke" suddenly became acceptable verbiage.
After Durant went just 2-of-13 in the fourth quarter and overtime of a Game 4 loss, USA Today's Adi Joseph wrote a recap titled: "Kevin Durant, Thunder choke away Game 4 vs. Grizzlies."
When he missed a shot that could have kept OKC alive in Game 5, critics came out of the woodwork, questioning Durant's fitness as a
For the six seasons Durant has been in the league, he's managed to skate by without having to face the burdensome expectations that James shoulders on a yearly basis. Until he won his first ring, James started every campaign with questions about when he'd finally get over the top. And once he finally got there, the pressure lingered.
Instead of answering doubters who said he'd never break through, he had to face those who wondered if he'd be able to do it again.
Durant hasn't had to face that kind of pressure. Not even close, really.
What gives? Why is LBJ held to a championship-or-bust standard while KD gets pats on the back for accomplishing so much less?
The answer is complicated, and it says a whole lot about context, fan perception and the hierarchy of the NBA.Ironically, Durant came under fire for the first time in his career when he least deserved it. When the Oklahoma City Thunder lost Russell Westbrook against the Houston Rockets in the first round of last year's playoffs, Durant was still able to carry his team through the series.
But against the more dangerous Memphis Grizzlies, KD struggled. Especially down the stretch in close games.
Words that had never been uttered in regard to Durant started popping up in headlines as the superstar muddled his way through a series of disappointing fourth quarters. "Choke" suddenly became acceptable verbiage.
After Durant went just 2-of-13 in the fourth quarter and overtime of a Game 4 loss, USA Today's Adi Joseph wrote a recap titled: "Kevin Durant, Thunder choke away Game 4 vs. Grizzlies."
When he missed a shot that could have kept OKC alive in Game 5, critics came out of the woodwork, questioning Durant's fitness as a