By: Kylan W. Watson
The 2017 NBA Finals was marketed as a trilogy to the most anticipated rivalry in basketball between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Warriors have dominated throughout the past three games. The reason for that dominance is Kevin Durant. Durant has used his 2nd career finals appearance as a coming out party to show that he truly is one of the top players in the league, and making an argument that he may be the best player in the world.
Durant is currently the top scorer in the finals this year, he is averaging 34.0 points per game, he has grabbed 10.0 rebounds per game, and is averaging 6.0 assists per game. Not a bad outing for a player that has not been in the finals in five years.
Throughout the 2016-2017 NBA season, Durant has been maligned for joining the Golden State Warriors in July 2016. Many fans and some experts have blamed Durant for making this NBA season boring.
However, Durant is having the final laugh this season as he and the Warriors are one game away from sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers and doing something no team in the history of sports has done go 16-0 throughout the postseason. Durant has made the difference for the Warriors who lost in 7 games to the Cavs in the 2016 NBA Finals.
The Warriors blew a 3-1 lead last year and were looking to build a team that could dominate the Cavaliers. Durant was the additional piece the Warriors needed to not only dominate the Cavs, but the rest of the league as well. Durant has put his personal stamp on the Warriors.
Durant’s presence has given the Warriors a closer. Durant served that closer role well, as he hit a dagger three-point shot to give the Warriors the lead in Game 3.
Durant has made the finals his own personal coming out party, to show everyone who is watching, that he made the right decision in coming to Golden State. Durant is looking for his first ring and he is putting all his strength and energy to propelling the Warriors to their second title. Durant will have to put on one more excellent performance, as the Warriors face the Cavaliers tonight at 9:00 pm EST. However, if the last three games are anything to go by this is Kevin Durant’s world and the rest of us are just living in it.
