2014-2015: The Year of Durant

Over the course of the upcoming NBA season many people will be talking about or picking the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the NBA title but I say hold on just a second. Yes, creating a team that combines LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love is very impressive. On paper, they may look like the best team but they still have to overcome some hurdles. Before we can proclaim them the NBA champions for 2015 we have to see them play together; remember it took LeBron, Wade, and Bosh a while to get it right, and that big three was much better than the one constructed now. Team chemistry is such an underrated aspect of basketball. Just look at the San Antonio Spurs and you will see why. I believe the Cavs will win one title with their current core players. It just won’t be this season.

 I believe that the NBA champions will reside once again in the Western Conference. Assuming Paul George is out for the year, the Pacers will be a low playoff seed at most and there are only a select few teams that can actually contend for the title.

The Western conference finals will be the Spurs and Thunder again, but the Oklahoma City Thunder will be the 2014-2015 NBA champions. Kevin Durant has improved every season since he has come into the league, which is extremely scary for the rest of the league. Oklahoma City posted a record of 59-23 last season with Russell Westbrook just coming off a major injury. They battled the Spurs in the conference finals and that was without Serge Ibaka for the first two games of the series. The only thing that may hold back the Thunder is their bench play, but I think Jeremy Lamb has learned how to play in the NBA plus adding sharp-shooter Anthony Morrow, and rookie Mitch McGary should help them.

Durant and Westbrook create a dynamic one-two punch scoring option that no other team can match. I know many people have been critical of Westbrook and Durant playing together but I think that they compliment each other very well. Westbrook just needs to pass the ball to Durant a little bit more but that’s on the coach. I think that if the Thunder don’t win this year that Scott Brooks should be fired and OKC should get some new blood into their coaching position. Brooks is, without a doubt, on the hot seat.

Having a player in Durant who averaged 32 points per game in the prime of his career puts the Thunder in a prime position already and I expect for them to finally take that next step in 2015. Seattle fans may not like it but the Thunder looks ready to win their first title in the Oklahoma City franchise history. When all is said and done, this will be known as the “Year of Durant”.