On Monday, December 25th, two NBA superpowers went head to head. Kevin Durant led the Golden State Warriors to a 99-92 victory against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Durant lead the Warriors in his performance with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. With the help of Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, the Warriors were able to out-battle the Cavaliers in the 48-minute game.

James contributed 20 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds to the Cavaliers, with significant help from Kevin Love and Jae Crowder. Although this was an extremely competitive game, the Cavaliers did not have enough firepower to keep up with the quick-striking Warriors.

In the absence of Stephen Curry, the Warriors' superstar point guard, Kevin Durant, has begun to show signs of offensive and defensive superiority. Without the barrage of three-pointers and expert play-making Durant could depend on in Curry, he has made it his own goal to display his two-way dynamism.

Since LeBron James and Kevin Durant are often compared in the conversation of "Who is the best basketball player in the league right now?", it is interesting to see them face one another during a prime-time game.

As Kevin Durant continues to secure better personal stats and team wins over LeBron James during their encounters, some fans may begin to believe Durant is truly the more skilled player.

Durant himself even believes he has become more of a peer to James rather than a prodigy, as he was quoted to have said, "They have seen me play at the highest level and play against a guy who people say is continuously the best player ever. I feel like I proved myself and belong in that conversation,” according to Mercury News.

As we approach the halfway mark in the 2017-18 NBA season, anticipation for the NBA finals is rapidly growing. It will surely be a test of wills for Durant and James to prove themselves capable of leading their respective teams to another NBA championship.