Kevin Durant Says Carmelo Anthony ‘Can Have’ Scoring Title

Okay, that’s a bit much, but he doesn’t mind if Anthony winds up winning it.

Per Royce Young of dailythunder.com, Melo can have the scoring title if he wants it:

KD on the scoring title race with Carmelo Anthony: “He can have it.”

— Royce Young (@dailythunder) April 4, 2013

Generous, right?

After scoring a combined 90 points in each of his last two games, Melo is hot on Durant’s trail. Anthony is currently averaging 28.1 points per game to Durant’s 28.3. The Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks will meet on Sunday, in a game that will have a significant impact on who finishes the season atop the NBA scoring.

Of course, Durant isn’t about to hand over the scoring title to Melo. Realistically, though, Anthony could come into Oklahoma City with as the league’s top scorer.

Both the Knicks and Thunder play one more game before they meet each other. Assuming Durant’s averages hold, Anthony would need to score 40 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. If he did, he would overtake Durant.

Possible? Yes. Easy? Eh.

Melo has been on a tear as of late, and has dropped 50 and 40 points in each of his last two performances. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities that he puts for a similar display once again. Said performance would also have to coincide with Durant scoring 28 points or less against the Indiana Pacers.

What most are probably wondering though, is why Durant is so disinterested in the scoring title. He’s won three in a row, and is going for a fourth. What gives?

Well, like we said, he has three. While he admits that he really wanted the first one, winning these titles has become sort of a routine for him.

KD “I really wanted my first one. Now it’s cool, don’t get my wrong, I never want to take stuff for granted, but if it happens, it happens.”

— Royce Young (@dailythunder) April 4, 2013

Just like Melo, I’m sure Durant would prefer to win a championship ring over a scoring title. I could even understand why he would want it less than Anthony because the latter has never won before. But such a lackadaisical approach is slightly perplexing.

Scoring titles aren’t everything, but Durant has the potential to make history with a fourth one. Should he win another one, he’ll be the first player to lead the league in scoring while shooting at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and 90 percent from the free-throw line. More importantly, he’ll join Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to lead the league in scoring for four (or more) consecutive seasons.

Procuring an NBA titles is priority No. 1. It always is. But Durant also has a chance to play his way into the record books, which is something we can’t exactly overlook.

Normally, I would chalk Durant’s comments up to conspired modesty. I would say he is downplaying the race on purpose. And to some extent, that might be true. But mostly, I believe him.

Durant isn’t doesn’t seem like the type to get caught up in this type of history. This is his sixth season in the Association, and I’m certain he’s more focused about coming out of the Western Conference and leading the Thunder to that elusive championship ring. Which I admire. And if Melo can take the scoring title from him, I’m also be impressed with him as well.

Still, it’s difficult not to pull for Durant to at least want to win this title. These types of competitions, however meaningless, seem more significant when both parties involved are dedicated to beating the other.

The way Melo’s playing, he’s engaged. He seems to want to win it. Will Durant have anything to say about that?

Absolutely.

For the sake of good-spirited competition, let’s just hope it’s something other than “Hey Melo, here you go.”