Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant has been dominant in the playoffs, averaging 32.5 points on 53 percent shooting. He's helped the team build a commanding 2-0 series lead against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals, and for Dubs coach Steve Kerr, the reigning Finals MVP is playing in a level that's above everyone else.

In his interview with Joe Morgan of Sporting News, Kerr believes that Durant's motivation is his desire to be recognized as the best player in the world.

“I think Kevin wants to be recognized as the best player in the world. And I happen to think he is. Now, on our team, he doesn't need to show it. He's not stat crazy. He's not a guy that chases numbers. He's content to let other people score. But in the playoffs, when it's absolutely necessary that he becomes aggressive and takes over games, this is his time to take over. And it's when everyone is watching.”

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Over the past couple of years, there have been countless debates about the best player in the NBA. Those are discussions that were once dominated by Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, but Kevin Durant's emergence as the clear-cut best player in the talent-heavy Warriors made a lot of people believe that he's already taken the throne from the four-time MVP.

LeBron's absence in the playoffs is the perfect opportunity for Durant to show the world that he's the league's best player. For Kerr though, KD no longer has anything to prove.