Besides LeBron James there is no better player in the NBA than 21-year old small forward Kevin Durant of the Thunder. Durant played in 82 games (all starts) for the Thunder last season and he averaged 39.5 minutes, 30.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocked shot per game. He finished 2nd in the MVP Voting this season and they scary thing for the rest of the NBA is that he will keep getting better as he is only 21 years old. Durant has now played in 236 games (235 starts) in his three years with the Thunder and he is averaging 37.7 minutes, 25.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocked shots per game. Durant led the league in scoring this past season and I think he might do that a few times before he hangs up his sneakers.

The 21-year-old Kevin Durant is on his way to becoming the youngest scoring champion in NBA history, as he has averaged 30.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.0 blocks.  The case can definitely be made for Durant being this year’s MVP, and if not for that guy named LeBron in Cleveland he probably would have been.  Durant has led a young and inexperience Thunder team to the Western Conference Playoffs, which is not an easy task to do in the loaded Western Conference.  With a 49-32 record, the Thunder have the eighth seed and will be facing the Los Angeles Lakers.  The Thunder will be finishing up the 2009-’10 season against the Memphis Grizzlies tomorrow night, so they will likely get their 50th win of the year.  Usually when you win 50 games, you end up with a better seed than the eight spot, but this year’s Western Conference is stacked.  Durant and the Thunder can’t worry about that though, and they need to be ready to face the defending champion Lakers.  If the Thunder want to stand a chance against the Lakers, they will need Durant to carry them.  Although the Lakers are heavy favorites, Durant has the ability to put the Thunder on his back and lead them to victory with his great scoring ability.  It should be a very exciting series with high-scoring Durant going up against one of the best pure scorers ever in Kobe Bryant.  Even if Durant and the Thunder get swept, it doesn’t take anything away from their great season.  Durant has solidified himself as a star in this league and expect him to get a few MVP awards in his future.

Sure, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are the stars of the Thunder but Jeff Green is a solid #3 man for them. Green has played in 77 games (all starts) for the Thunder this season and he is averaging 37.0 minutes, 15.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game. The Thunder don’t need Green to ever take over a game they just need him to keep putting up numbers like he has done all year long.

Backup C/F Nick Collison is really playing pretty well for the Thunder this season. He has played in 62 games (1 start) for the Thunder this season and he is averaging 21.0 minutes, 5.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. Collison is shooting 58.9% from the floor this season but most of his shots are coming from close range. Collison could probably start for a lot of teams in the NBA but for the Thunder he will be one of their top reserves the rest of the way.

26-year old center Nenad Krstic is a big part of the future for the Thunder and that future is now. Krstic knows his role with the Thunder and that is to play defense and rebound. He has played in 61 games (all starts) for the Thunder this season and he is averaging 22.7 minutes, 8.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Krstic is capable of more offense if the Thunder ever need him to provide it but for now they are really happy with what he is giving them.