Move Over Kevin Durant

Is Kevin Durant ready to hand his three-time scoring title over just yet?

By Kristina Callahan

Three years in a row.

That’s quite an accomplishment.

AP Photo/ Sue Ogrocki

Three years of maintaining the highest points per game all season. 30.1, 27.7 and 28.0 points per game in 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. The former Texas Longhorn has been assumed to make it four years in a row this season but in the past week, a new scoring leader has emerged.

Carmelo Anthony is scoring 28.44 points per game compared to Durant’s 28.35 points per game. Pretty close, huh? Anthony took the slight lead over Durant after a win against the Thunder in which he put up 36 points, nine more than Durant’s 27 points.

Part of the reason ‘Melo is leading the three-time scoring leader is because of his unbelievable numbers in the month of April. The former Syracuse Orange is averaging over 41 points per game this month, including games of 50, 40, 41 and 36 points. Anthony has shot 60 percent from the field, including 56 percent from behind the arc.

Durant doesn’t seem to be too concerned at all. Actually, he said that Carmelo can have the scoring title.

“He can have it,” Durant said flatly after OKC’s Thursday morning shootaround.

“I mean the stuff he’s doing right now, every time he touches the ball it looks like it’s going to go in,” Durant said. “He’s having a nice run right now and his confidence is high. I’m sure he’s going to take over. If it happens, cool.”

What would mean more for Durant is an NBA Championship and a ring on his finger. He came close last year before falling to Lebron James and the Heat in the NBA Finals. If Durant weathers ‘Melo’s scoring storm and does end up winning his fourth scoring title, he will join a club with Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain of players to win the scoring title more than three years in a row. That’s quite an accomplishment considering this is just Durant’s sixth season in the NBA.

With the NBA season wrapping up in the next week, it’s inevitable that the scoring title will come down to the final games. Carmelo and the Knicks have six games remaining while Durant and the Thunder have just five games left in the season.