Kevin Durant and James Harden are in a duel for the ages.
In the NBA playoff second-round series between the Warriors and Houston Rockets, Durant and Harden are averaging 36 and 35.8 points per game, respectively, through four games this series. That never has happened before in NBA playoff history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
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And to think: Both of these guys were on the same team at one point.
The stat will pain Oklahoma City Thunder fans, but it's music to the Warriors and Rockets' respective ears. Although neither player is shooting as efficiently as he did in the regular season, both are shouldering significant loads. Harden's second-round usage rate -- a whopping 38.7 percent -- is the highest of every player remaining in the playoff. Durant is third, with a usage rate of 32 percent in four second-round games.
Durant led the Warriors with 34 points in their 112-108 loss in Monday's Game 4, while Harden paced the Rockets with 38. Dating to the start of the playoffs, Durant (35.4 points per game) and Harden (31.3) are first and third, respectively, in playoff scoring. Assuming those numbers hold, the former teammates would shatter their career highs in playoff scoring.
[RELATED: Why Warriors should believe they'll win the series]
Golden State Warriors
One of them has just two or three games remaining in his season, however. The Rockets tied the best-of-seven series at two with their second consecutive victory, and the 2018 Western Conference finals rematch now is a best-of-three.
If the first four games are any indication, the loser of Durant versus Harden will go down swinging.