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Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are in a duel for the 2022 MVP award. In accordance to the latest odds, Curry is the percentages on favourite and KD is correct behind his former teammate. Even when neither famous person is just too centered on common season accolades, even when each would say they’re merely doing what it takes to win video games, they’re competing nonetheless and it has been superior to observe.
The scoring championship, together with the MVP, will go down between Kevin Durant & Steph Curry, each of whom have been past spectacular this season.
pic.twitter.com/GgilrL6oSK— PBA insider 🏀 (@PBAinsider) November 26, 2021
As of Monday, the Brooklyn Nets are 14-6, good for first place within the East. The Golden State Warriors are 18-2, the very best report in the whole NBA, though the Dubs have an epic showdown looming in opposition to Devin Booker, Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns who’re only one recreation behind them.
However satirically, Durant’s finest likelihood to win 2022 MVP is for his teammates to step up in order that Brooklyn doesn’t must depend on the Texas product a lot.
Nonetheless loopy to assume Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry not too long ago performed on the identical crew 🤯
The MVP race this season gonna be 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TozPnE5djg
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) November 29, 2021
Earlier within the season Nets coach Steve Nash mentioned the crew didn’t wish to overburden Durant by leaning on him an excessive amount of for buckets. “That’s the posh of All-Star gamers, they will (carry you at instances). And Kevin’s clearly elite at scoring and isolating,” Nash shared again in November. “Whereas that may be a luxurious, that he could make performs in opposition to anybody we undoubtedly don’t wanna depend on that. That’s antithesis to our imaginative and prescient however it’s a luxurious at instances when he can simply stand up and rating over folks.”
That final level about it being “antithesis to the Nets’ imaginative and prescient” is essential. By way of 19 video games, each Curry and Durant have scored 544 every, the very best marks within the NBA. However the kind of basketball that Steve Nash needs to see is extra egalitarian and quick with extra gamers getting concerned.
Earlier than the final loss at residence to the Phoenix Suns, now winners of 16 in a row, coach Nash talked about some methods his groups struggles.
“I believe the nuts and bolts of that’s simply enjoying earlier,” Nash defined. “Getting organized, getting the ball down the ground, moving into actions faster, attending to the second facet faster. Various things that may assist us with this present roster, not play in opposition to a locked protection and make issues troublesome. If we will alleviate as lots of these possessions as potential gradual, strolling it up, enjoying in opposition to a set protection, not having the motion or fast choices that we preach daily, I believe that’s after we actually wrestle.”
There was some foreshadowing there. The second-year head coach continued on that theme after the loss to Phoenix. “I believe tonight it was crowded in [the paint] and we didn’t transfer the ball sufficient, so we gotta be capable to transfer it, get off it faster.”
That’s the essence of this level; the crew wants higher ball-movement. They have a tendency to get static in opposition to high opponents. The Nets solely have 4 wins in opposition to groups with successful information.
Nash needs the crew to play sooner in order that they get into the paint (normally it’s James Harden not KD who initiates that motion), collapse a protection, after which kick it out for an open shot. When the shot isn’t there, he needs the Nets to swing the ball to the “second facet,” also referred to as the weak facet of the ground; mainly, the facet reverse the preliminary motion or penetration.
Ideally his crew is passing the ball shortly, getting everybody concerned, and conserving a protection transferring facet to facet and scrambling. In fact it doesn’t at all times work out that manner and it positive is a luxurious to have Durant, who primarily has a mismatch each time he touches the ball. They simply wish to reduce how dependent they’re on him isolating.
But when Nash will get what he needs, would Durant proceed to guide the NBA in factors per recreation? Possible not. So why would that be his finest likelihood to win the MVP? It appears a bit counterintuitive. However that’s the place narrative comes into play. The entire lacking Kyrie Irving factor, James Harden fighting new officiating and his conditioning, Durant’s personal battle again from Achilles surgical procedure in 2019, KD has the identify model recognition to get the votes for MVP if he’s within the dialog. Attaining the East’s finest report would assist his case. He’ll need assistance to get there.
If the Nets proceed on the trail they’re on, they in all probability gained’t win sufficient video games to maintain up with the opposite high groups within the NBA. It’s not solely “antithesis” to the best way the crew needs to play, it not solely dangers burning out Durant, it’s additionally a recipe for much less wins total.
Durant’s likeliest path for MVP could be if his crew steps up and so they win the Jap Convention’s high seed. However attaining that, and persevering with to maintain tempo over groups just like the Milwaukee Bucks or Miami Warmth (one recreation behind Brooklyn for first place), will imply higher ball motion and extra position gamers displaying up.
Patty Mills, LaMarcus Aldridge abd DeAndre’ Bembry have all been higher than anticipated. James Harden, Joe Harris, Nic Claxton, Blake Griffin (resulting from a mixture of accidents, or different components) have been a bit worse than anticipated.
With Joe Harris now set for surgery, there’s much more want for assist. KD could be the primary to remind us that so far as he cares, Steph can have the MVP so long as it’s Durant the hoisting his third NBA Finals MVP as an alternative. He’ll want some extra assist to win both accolade with the Nets.
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