The NBA playoffs are just around the corner, and Kevin Durant is loving the wide-open race for the title. With 18 seasons under his belt, Durant has seen his fair share of clear favorites in March, but this year feels different. The Houston Rockets star is part of a team that appears to be one of the title contenders, and he's enjoying the parity in the league.
'Thank God for second aprons and the first aprons,' Durant said, referring to the current collective bargaining agreement and payroll levels that limit a team's options on player movement and acquisition. While Detroit and defending champion Oklahoma City have separated themselves at the top of the Eastern and Western conferences, the second-place teams, Boston and San Antonio, are surprises. It's hard to imagine any team emerging from the East or West that wouldn't be a surprise, given the parity in the league.
Durant's stance is tough to argue against, especially with the current CBA and aprons. The West is brutally tough, with Houston starting the season in third place, just two losses ahead of the sixth-place Los Angeles Lakers. The playoffs start next month, and the final 20 games are all about positioning and momentum.
'You never know who can make a run in the playoffs,' Durant said. 'We're looking forward to using these games to continue to get better and keep growing and we'll see what happens.'
But who will emerge as the champion? With seven franchises having won titles in the last seven years, an eighth different champion is not inconceivable. Durant hopes the Rockets will be the next name on that list, and there's no shortage of teams that think they can make title runs as well. So, who will come out on top? It's anyone's guess, and that's what makes the NBA playoffs so exciting.
