Michael Redd thinks Kevin Durant’s absence from playoffs is impacting LeBron James’ confidence

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Jamal Muray and Nikola Jokic once again have everyone’s attention following the Denver Nuggets’ crucial win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 to avoid going down 3-0 in the Western Conference Finals. But, while those two have been a compelling story in the 2020 NBA Playoffs, there are others.

The Miami Heat’s run has also been a sight to watch, storming through the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks before taking a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals over the Boston Celtics.

Then there’s LeBron James.

He and Anthony Davis cruised past the hottest player in the Disney bubble, Damian Lillard, and the Portland Trail Blazers in five games. They then did the same to James Harden, Russell Westbrook and the Houston Rockets the following round.

It’s gotten to the point where there are more than a few who are frustrated he didn’t win MVP this year over Milwaukee’s Giannis Antentokounmpo, especially after the Bucks got bounced so early in the playoffs. (Of course, the MVP is based solely on what happened in the regular season.)

The addition of Davis certainly helps James in his efforts, but former NBA All-Star Michael Redd thinks there might be another factor at play — the absence of a certain Brooklyn Nets forward.

Redd explained Kevin Durant’s role in the 2020 Playoffs to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson and Sean Deveney on Heavy Live With Scoop B Show:

LeBron’s playing with an unbelievable level of confidence this year. Part of that is because I think there’s one guy in the NBA — Kawhi [Leonard] obviously can give LeBron trouble, but there’s one guy that can … that KD is something else. He’s not in the picture at all. So with him and the Golden State Warriors being out of the picture, people feel — and LeBron and the Lakers have to feel — so confident that they can win it all. Any team actually. Because that juggernaut was just…it was too much.