“I Gotta Say Kevin Durant”: James Harden’s Former Teammate Believes KD is More Likely to Win a Ring Than LeBron James this Season

Kevin Durant’s Phoenix Suns and LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers both haven’t had smooth sailing this season. They look unlikely title candidates but if one has to pick the most likely to win a ring, who will it be between the two? As per James Harden’s former Houston Rockets teammate Chandler Parsons, Durant is the one who has a higher chance at a ring compared to LeBron James.

During his ‘Run It Back‘ show, Parsons reflected upon the subject, when his co-host Michelle Beadle asked him which one among the two athletes was more likely to win a championship. He stated,

“I gotta say Kevin Durant, just because he has a better chance this year. But the NBA is so weird now, who knows? Who knows whose squads up together this summer? Who knows what additions happen in free agency or via trade? Looking at it right now, I am saying Kevin Durant,” opined Chandler Parsons.

.@MichelleDBeadle “Who’s more likely to win another title between [LeBron James & Kevin Durant]?”@ChandlerParsons “I got to say Kevin Durant, just because I think he has a better chance this year…This team he’s on now is one of the deeper teams he’s ever been on, he’s… pic.twitter.com/6V76kxPcSk

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 26, 2024

For the 2024 playoffs, Parsons named the Suns, the Clippers, and the Nuggets as the favorites in the West despite none of them being in the top two. He also touched upon how Kevin Durant has “one of the deeper teams he’s ever been on” despite them being a sixth seed. As of now, LBJ is averaging 25.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.9 assists, while KD is also producing similar numbers with 28.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.

Taking into account Durant’s health at the moment and his high-level play, the former Rockets Wing liked the Suns’ chances over the Lakers. Returning to the original question about who has a higher chance of winning a ring between LeBron James and Kevin Durant, fans would love to see a battle between the two.

Kevin Durant and LeBron James have gone up against each other on the highest stage

KD and LBJ have met thrice in the playoffs, all during the NBA Finals. Durant has a superior 9-5 record across the three title rounds. The last time they faced each other in a championship series was back in 2018.

During the 2018 Finals, KD and his Warriors dominated LeBron James and his Cavaliers, winning 4-0. Durant nabbed his back-to-back Finals MVP award after putting up 28.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 2.25 blocks per game. In the 2017 Finals, KD helped the Warriors defeat LBJ and the Cavs 4-1.

This was Durant’s first ring and first Finals MVP as he racked up 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game. However, he did face defeat in the Finals once against King James. During the 2012 Finals, James’ Miami Heat defeated Kevin Durant and his young Oklahoma City Thunder squad in five games. The King won the Finals MVP after piling up 28.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.

As for the 2023-24 season, there is a likelihood of the two clashing in the playoffs yet again. The chance especially looks high in the play-in seeding, considering the Suns are barely holding on to the #6 seed while the Lakers are the #9 seed. If the Suns are to fall in the play-in bracket and if the Lakers climb to #7 or #8, a Play-in qualifier can be on the cards.

Apart from that if the Lakers climb higher in the seeding and if the Suns continue to rise, they can also end up facing each other in the playoffs without the play-in route.