Kevin Durant fue elegido como el más valioso y gandor del trofeo Bill Russel en las finales de la NBA, como el MVP para el titulo 2017, de Golden State.
El delantero de 28 años de edad, anotó 39 puntos, recupero 7 rebotes y tuvo 5 asistencias el lunes para asegurar la victoria 129-120 y asi ganar la serie 4-1 sobre los Campeones defensores Cleveland Cavaliers.
Durant, quien llegó como agente libre el año pasado a Golden State procedente de Oklahoma City Thunder, fue el máximo anotador de los Warriors en cada partido de la final, con promedio de 35.2 puntos por partido, 8.4 rebotes y 5.4 asistencias.
Durant finalizo su decima temporada en la NBA, tomo la delantera para ese reconocimiento, cuando en el tercer partido de la serie, anotó 14 de sus 31 puntos, en el ultimo cuarto para ayudar a su equipo a cerrar una serie de 11-0 y asi tomar ventaja de 3-0 en la serie que a la postre ganaron 4-1.
OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Durant was named winner of the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award for leading the Warriors to the 2017 championship.
The 28-year-old forward scored 39 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists in Monday night’s series-clinching 129-120 win at Oracle Arena to wrap up a 4-1 series win over LeBron James and the defending champion Cavaliers.
Durant, who moved from the Oklahoma City Thunder to Golden State as a free agent last summer, was the Warriors’ top scorer in every game of The Finals, averaging 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists, while shooting 60 of 102 (.588) from the field.
Established in the 1969 NBA Finals, the award is decided by a panel of nine media members and has been given to 31 different players.
Durant, finishing his 10th pro season, made himself the favorite for the award when he scored 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter of Game 3 when the Warriors closed the game on an 11-0 run.
When James scored with 11:34 left in the game, the Cavaliers had cut a 17-point deficit down to 98-95. But Durant came right back with a 17-footer from the wing and slammed the door by hitting 5-for-7 and scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter of in Game 5 to join Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal as the only players ever to score 25 or more points in their first 10 Finals games.
After losing to James and the Miami Heat in the 2012 Finals when he was with the Thunder, Durant finally got his own rise to the top.