Losing a perennial all-star point guard in Russell Westbrook has obvious consequences in the win-loss column for Oklahoma City Thunder, but it could turn up huge for forward Kevin Durant when it comes to the vote for the MVP. 

Many picked Kevin Durant to win the MVP before the season started based on the logic Westbrook would miss more than the two games to start the season.

Those two nights back in October showed mixed results for KD. A win over the terrible Utah Jazz in which he threw down 42 to squeak out the victory, and a blowout loss to the Timberwolves which saw one of Durant’s worse efforts with 13 points on 4-11 shooting.

However, Westbrook came back much sooner than expected. LeBron James has been LeBron, and that theory was toast.

Now, the point guard has dropped down again with an injury to give the theory new life, and there are no mixed results this time around.

Kevin Durant was already going toe-to-toe with LeBron James this season statistically.

LeBron James season:
25.5 points per game 6.7 rebounds per game 6.5 assists per game 58.9 percent shooting from the field

Kevin Durants season:
29.5 points per game 8.3 rebounds per game 4.9 assists per game 49.2 percent shooting from the field

It’s pretty tight. Durant holds slight edges in defensive categories but those rarely tell the story on that end so we take a look at two statistics that attempt to tell the whole story in Player Efficiency Rating and Estimated Wins Added. Durant edges James in PER 29.57 to 29.38 and EWA 12.5 to 11.5.

Keep this in mind for whatever its worth. Durant’s notched both Western Conference Player of the Month trophies this season for November and December while James only took home December’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month.

Taking that into account, everything through two months of the season has them in a neck-and-neck battle.

Now, check out what Durant’s done in the seven games since Westbrook last played on Christmas Day. Durant’s stat averages have hit a huge increase to account for the absence. He’s averaging 35.0 ppg 9.1 rbg and 5.4 apg in those seven games while maintaining his 49 percent field goal percentage.

He isn’t sacrificing efficiency to score the rock at a 7 point higher clip. Five games have seen Durant score higher than 30 points with him dropping 48 points twice.

Unfortunately for the KD for MVP bandwagon, the win-loss record is the only stat not seeing an increase. Adding this 4-3 stretch, the Thunder are now 5-4 total when Westbrook doesn’t lace up his basketball shoes.

Right now, James’ Miami Heat are tied for the second best record in the league with the Thunder at 27-8, but how much longer can Durant keep the team afloat in Westbrook’s absence?

Another feather in James’ cap, depending on when Westbrook returns, is Dwyane Wade’s periodical rests. The Heat have clearly been trying to save Wade as much as possible, and he’s sat in eight games himself this season.

But, let’s face it. MVP voters are likely looking for any reason to go away from giving James a third straight MVP trophy, which would also be his fifth in six years. That’s just how voting fatigue goes, and with a race this tight, the Westbrook injury could loom large in the finally tally.