As the two consensus top players in the game, Los Angeles Laker LeBron James and Brooklyn Net Kevin Durant dealt with a multitude of setbacks this season. Injuries to themselves and the rest of their team led them both falling short of their expectations of winning a title this season.

Durant and his Nets were taken down in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals along with fellow stars James Harden and Kyrie Irving. Irving, who sat out that game following an ankle injury he sustained earlier in the series was missed as the Nets lacked shot creation down the stretch. Harden also was dealing with nagging injuries during the playoffs as he looked like a shell of the superstar we know him as nursing a hamstring injury he picked up in the opening seconds of this series against the Milwaukee Bucks.

In the series, Durant put on a show as he played every minute of two games in that series. Even in their final game of the season, he played his heart out in an amazing performance which also nearly won them the game and a trip to the Eastern Conference finals. Durant scored 48 points in the overtime loss but he left it all on the floor, it was such a performance that many have stated that he could be the best player in the world currently. 

On the other hand, LeBron James and his Lakers were eliminated in the first round to the Phoenix Suns in six games after qualifying and playing in the play-in tournament as the seventh seed against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. James was also dealing with a lack of help missing his co-star Anthony Davis who was dealing with a groin injury throughout the series. James who was also dealing with the injury he sustained in the regular season after a loose ball situation with Atlanta Hawks forward Solomon Hill caused him to sprain his ankle. James, who is in his 18th season, having had to deal with a nagging injury, was tasked with carrying a team that is subpar without the pieces around him. This is a tall task for anyone even though we have seen James do it before.

This year’s debate of James v. Durant is moot due to the fact that they cannot meet in the NBA Finals because of injuries sustained to teammates and themselves. The discourse is similar to the one analysts had ten years ago with James and the late Kobe Bryant as James was making a name for himself in the league as a powerhouse but Bryant was at the top of his game, winning titles. Both being brilliant at the time, it had the common fan divided. Due to Bryant’s five championships, long stood a valid argument in favor of Bryant, this changed in the 2012 NBA Finals when James’ Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder to begin James’ quest for more titles.

This is a bit different as both have multiple titles and Finals MVPs. Having played each other three times in the Finals, Durant is leading their head-to-head matchups 2-1.  Winning another title, giving him three to Jamess’ four would be a  good case for him to be the best player this generation. On the opposite side of the spectrum, if James were to win his fifth title over Durant and his trio, he would most likely retain the title as the world’s best. 

It’s all up in the air and speculation as of right now who can take claim as the best on the hardwood. ll eyes will be on those two next season to see who will be there when the dust settles.