Durant calls game-winner over James in Finals 'best moment I ever had'
Since the 2011 NBA Finals, when Kevin Durant and LeBron James first faced off for the league's grand prize, the two have almost become synonymous with one another. But until this past June, one was finding far more success than the other.
The tables turned in Game 3 of the 2017 NBA Finals, when Durant hit the game-winning three over James' out-stretched arms to give the Golden State Warriors a 3-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"That was the best moment I ever had," Durant told Zach Baron of GQ Magazine. "I made the game-winning shot in the Finals against my f---ing idol. Somebody that I really, really, really followed since I was a ninth-grade high schooler. I felt like he was passing the torch to me."
The Warriors went on to win in five games, led by Durant's historic Finals performance. The championship and the Finals MVP trophy helped the 29-year-old inch closer to James, 32, in terms of career success.
| Player | Years | MVP | NBA Titles | Finals MVP | All-Star |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeBron James | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| Kevin Durant | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
Oddsmakers have tabbed the Warriors and Cavaliers to meet again in the NBA Finals, so Durant may have another opportunity to encroach on the King's court.