You have to give the people what they want. And in that respect, LeBron James and Kevin Durant were both money Sunday night as they thrillingly set sail on a showdown the quality of which everyone has been craving and commanding of the league’s two most valued commodities.
Bashfulness rightfully took a beating this All-Star Game weekend as both Durant and James openly and refreshingly spoke of wanting to compete against each other and even “play 1-on-1” as the game drew closer to its must-see TV airing. The Slim Reaper had come to slay The King as the game’s most supreme talent and all of Hoops Nation would be captivated by the experience.
Much like the 2014 NBA season itself, even in a game of stars no one came close to matching the star power or the aura of league’s two best ballers. So much so that all the debate about the budding rivalry that is LeBron vs. KD not really being a rivalry until Durant can lay claim to the ultimate chip was rendered virtually mute in the name of such good-natured competition.
Durant was the first to throw down the gauntlet, earlier this week telling TNT he looked forward to staring down James mano-mano, prompting the Miami Heat star to take on the challenge in the form of a blazing first-quarter start.
“They don’t compare me to K.D.,” James previously told Sports Illustrated when asked about the nature of their on-court relationship. “They just talk about the two best players in the game and which one is better — which one can score better, who is the MVP, who is going to win the next championship. But they don’t ever compare our games too much, we’re two different players.”
Ah, but contraire, Mr. King. For when it comes to talk of the game’s finest, it’s most impactful player, the league might as well be composed of just those two as they are the only ones really in the conversation.
In the end, Durant netted 38 points and LeBron 22, as Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving walked away with MVP honors on the strength of 31 points and 14 assists. But the Great Debate easily reigned as the night’s most provocative storyline.
That doesn’t figure to change anytime soon. Not as long as KD and LeBron are willing to accept the challenge of staring one another down, taking each other on in spirit and duty, the way they did on All-Star night.
