NBA Scoring Race Coming Down to the Wire

Now that I am in my twenties, I consider myself to be a somewhat intelligent, well-informed sports fan. No longer do I blindly follow Toronto professional sports teams with such complete admiration that I resemble a teenaged girl overheating at the mere mention of the jerkoffs from Twilight.

Trust me, it’s fantastic. Do you know how great it is to not care that the Toronto Maple Leafs, a once great and proud franchise, are no longer relevant in today’s NHL? I don’t have to lose sleep over the fact the team only has two players with more than fifteen goals (and one of them only has one testicle).

Similarly, back in the Vince Carter years, I lived and died with every Raptors game. Not anymore. I don’t care that the Raptors can barely attain mediocrity in a conference where half the teams should really be playing in the NBA’s developmental league.

Instead, I am now a fan of great players, regardless of which team they play for. It’s amazing; I am never disappointed. I get to appreciate transcendent performances on a nightly basis (much like the ladies I frequent with).

In the NBA, my allegiances start and end with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. I will wade through ten minutes of shitty NHL and NBA highlights just for a glimpse of the King and Kobe.

My infatuation with LeBron brings me to today’s column topic; the terrific race between James and Kevin Durant for the NBA scoring title. Not including yesterday’s games, only fifteen points separated the pair with ten games remaining in the schedule.

James and Durant are an interesting juxtaposition as they both have disparate scoring styles. Durant is a pure sharpshooter. He has range from anywhere on the floor and can score points in bunches. No matter what you do, he is going to go for at least 20 points a night. The opposition’s only hope is to not let Durant get hot, lest he unload for 40 without breaking a sweat.

On the other hand, LeBron is a complete force of nature. He can’t shoot as well as Durant, but he is also a more complete player. He’s averaging seven rebounds and nine assists per game to go along with twenty-nine plus points.

Opposing teams can let Durant get his points and still win the game. Try to take LeBron out of the game and he will burn you with his passing prowess. It’s not an accident that the Cavaliers are the best team in the league.

At 6’8” and 250lbs with a point guard’s speed, LeBron is unstoppable when he kicks it into his top gear. He can literally get to the basket anytime he wants. He’s only 25 years old. He hasn’t even scratched the surface of what he’s ultimately capable of.

This is why I loved his answer when he asked about the scoring race last week. LeBron said, “If I really wanted to be the scoring champion every single year—every single year—I could really do it. It doesn’t matter.”

What a refreshingly candid answer by a professional athlete. James has unfairly taken a beating for these comments and I don’t understand why. He didn’t resort to unrestrained braggadocio or make disparaging remarks about his competitors like Terrell Owens or Chad Ochocinco would.

LeBron just gave a matter-of-fact reply to a question he was asked. I am of the belief that a statement cannot be considered cocky if it’s true. James wasn’t being arrogant or egotistical. He was stating a fact.

It’s true, he could win the scoring title every year if that was his ultimate goal, but it’s not. He wants to be known as a winner and a champion.