Yes he has....how has he not. He sticks to his man, and recovers very well if he is beaten. He's guarded big men even more this year and plays the best kind of defense - the one where you don't even let the guy get the ball. Just because you don't see as many blocks or steals off someone's dribble doesn't mean he's not playing defense. He plays defense even before that.
I'm very aware that blocks or steals don't tell the full story of defense. Otherwise, I wouldn't be smart enough to know Ibaka has no case for an imaginary 3rd Defensive Team, last year and even this year.
Lebron was a lazy defender for much of the season and has only picked up after that Dallas game. He's a roamer on defense and plays well off his man. But he hasn't been recovering nearly as much as you suggest and he's not disrupting the other team's offense like he has in the past. And I'm not comparing his defense this year to his defense in the past. I'm comparing it to other players and no, he hasn't been an elite defender this year. Ball-denial that you see on isolated plays is one thing, but possession for possession and in total his defense has not been elite this season. It's been elite lately.
First off, I'm not saying Durant is still most deserving of the MVP at this point. However, this recent stretch of dominance by the Thunder couldn't have come at a worse time. Durant was neck-and-neck with LeBron in the MVP race, but since LeBron started this ridiculous tear, OKC has been doing this....
5 of last 6 Games
Grizzlies - 24 point halftime lead
Mavericks - 27 point halftime lead
Warriors - 18 point halftime lead
Suns - 5 point halftime lead but started 3rd quarter on 21-0 run
Suns - 17 point halftime lead
Only game that wasn't a blowout was the loss in Cleveland. Durant got hurt a few minutes into the third quarter and didn't comeback until the 4th. And in those other games, not only did he not play the fourth quarter, the games were so lopsided so quickly, he was pretty much playing on cruise control most of the game. It's not like he's been playing poorly or anything, it's just that OKC hasn't really needed him to be Durant, if that makes sense.
It's going to take a lot for Durant to get to the #1 spot again. The media has been raving about how godly Lebron has been in this torrid stretch, and it would take a bigger separation in team record and a couple huge marquee games from Durant to get become the favorite again. Everyone's talking about Lebron on an all time scale because of how good he's been, the debate between he and Durant as players hasn't been brought up much at all lately.
First off, I'm not saying Durant is still most deserving of the MVP at this point. However, this recent stretch of dominance by the Thunder couldn't have come at a worse time. Durant was neck-and-neck with LeBron in the MVP race, but since LeBron started this ridiculous tear, OKC has been doing this....
5 of last 6 Games
Grizzlies - 24 point halftime lead
Mavericks - 27 point halftime lead
Warriors - 18 point halftime lead
Suns - 5 point halftime lead but started 3rd quarter on 21-0 run
Suns - 17 point halftime lead
Only game that wasn't a blowout was the loss in Cleveland. Durant got hurt a few minutes into the third quarter and didn't comeback until the 4th. And in those other games, not only did he not play the fourth quarter, the games were so lopsided so quickly, he was pretty much playing on cruise control most of the game. It's not like he's been playing poorly or anything, it's just that OKC hasn't really needed him to be Durant, if that makes sense.
So basically lebron is on the full swing of most deserving MVP.
It's going to take a lot for Durant to get to the #1 spot again. The media has been raving about how godly Lebron has been in this torrid stretch, and it would take a bigger separation in team record and a couple huge marquee games from Durant to get become the favorite again. Everyone's talking about Lebron on an all time scale because of how good he's been, the debate between he and Durant as players hasn't been brought up much at all lately.
I think OKC will blow the heat at home, and durant take the number one spot back there again.
Right now, they are alternating positions.I believe they had similar amount of weeks at number one spot
LeBron should be out in front right now. He's just playing at an unbelievable level. I think the only thing preventing him from winning again will be voter fatigue. although that wasn't much of a problem for Jordan and KAJ.
Easily LeBron right now, coming from a Durant fan. Dudes been playing out of his mind. Durant's gotta come out STRONG for the 2nd half of the season if he wants to get back in front.
Re: Race to the MVP 2012-13
