"Happy KD is dangerous KD" - Former NBA champion highlights Kevin Durant's case for MVP after Suns' electric start to season

Kevin Durant led the Phoenix Suns to a come-from-behind 115-112 win against the Miami Heat on Wednesday. Phoenix rallied from a 15-point deficit to a sixth straight win. Durant’s impressive performance came after the “Slim Reaper” scored the game-winning jumper against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

Former NBA champ Kendrick Perkins had this to say about the Suns’ performances led by Durant:

“The Phoenix Suns are the second-best team, in my opinion, right behind the OKC Thunder by just inches. The main reason is the play of Kevin Durant, who I think right now, should be the MVP frontrunner. When it comes down to KD, a happy KD is a dangerous KG. … If you’re gonna get this version of Kevin Durant, he could be the best player in any series against any superstar in the league.”

Leading into Friday’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, Durant is averaging 27.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.4 blocks this season. He is shooting 55.1%, including 42.0% from behind the arc. When KD won the 2013-14 MVP award, he averaged an NBA-best 32.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 5.5 APG and 1.3 SPG. He shot 50.3% with 39.1% accuracy with the deep ball.

The NBA is roughly three weeks into the new season so the MVP race is still warming up. Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum and Nikola Jokic are the top 3 in the league’s weekly power rankings. Durant is sixth but should be a legitimate contender for the award if he can sustain his output.

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Kevin Durant is most efficient from mid-range in the clutch

Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic lead the NBA in clutch points with 29 before Friday’s scheduled games. KD makes 66.7% of his shots, the most efficient in the top 5. Jokic is 53.3% in such situations. The “Joker,” though, has more rebounds, assists and 3-pointers than the Phoenix Suns superstar.

Durant is 10-for-15, making 8-of-9 mid-range jumpers and 2-for-2 in layups. Interestingly, he is 0-for-4 from behind the arc. KD has done most of his damage against opponents from 12-18 feet. It will be interesting to see if he improves his efficiency from deep as the season progresses.