Christmas day matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors gave us another rematch of the last three NBA Finals series. While it was another rematch, it was also a potential preview of the 2018 NBA Finals, and the Warriors stole the show. While many fans and players complained about the officiating, the truth is that the Cavaliers made a few crucial mistakes that allowed their opponent to win the game.
Many fans looked forward to another duel between LeBron James and Kevin Durant. They are arguably two best forwards in the NBA, but most fans agree that James is a whole new level above his opponent.
However, Durant thinks that he is as good as James, and surprisingly, the Cavaliers forward admitted that Durant is the best small forward, at least when it comes to the defensive end of the floor.
LeBron knows how great Durant is
Kevin Durant put on a great show against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was amazing on both offense and defense, and he's the biggest reason why the Golden State Warriors won another game. Maybe the most amazing stat of the night were Durant's blocks as he had five of them. As a matter of fact, the Warriors superstar is averaging career-high 2.3 blocks per game this season and is the second-best shot blocker in the NBA.
After the Christmas game, LeBron James had some big words for Kevin Durant.
The four-time MVP said Durant may be the best defensive small forward in the entire league. “He’s right up there, if not the best,” James said, via Monte Poole of NBC Sports. “Kawhi (Leonard) is up there.”
LeBron knows what it takes to be a great defender and he was very close to being named Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.
This year, Kevin Durant has a chance to do so, and there is no doubt he will be one of the top candidates if he keeps playing so well on defense. The Warriors are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA because of their small forward, which is another reason why he will be one of the frontrunners for the award.
Christmas day matchup
LeBron James played 40 minutes against the Warriors on Christmas, scoring 20 points on 7-for-18 shooting. He also added six rebounds and six assists to his stats, but he also turned the ball over seven times. On the other side, Kevin Durant had 25 points on 8-for-19 shooting, and beside his impressive blocks total, he had seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Durant and James will have a chance to go at each other soon again as they will face off on January 15, 2018.
