Sam Amick

USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant, as expected, is the NBA's 2013-14 MVP.

The NBA announced the results on Tuesday, with Durant capturing 119 of 125 first-place votes (and 1,232 voting points) after this season in which he won the league's scoring title for the fourth time in five seasons (32 points per game) while doing so much more than scoring.

Durant did it all in his seventh season, having his best year yet as a playmaker (a career-high 5.5 assists per game) and improving like never before on the defensive end as well (the Thunder were fifth in defensive rating, allowing 101 points per 100 possessions). Despite the extended absence of co-star and point guard Russell Westbrook due to a knee injury, and with Durant carrying a heavier load than ever for months at a time, the Thunder finished second in the Western Conference at 59-23.

Durant's MVP win ends the reign of Miami Heat star LeBron James, who had won the award in each of the last two seasons and in four of the last five and finished second (891 points). Had James won this season, it would have been the first time in league history that a player won five times in the span of six seasons and would have made him won of four players to win the award at least five times (joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell).

"It's great," James said. "Every night you know you stack up against the best and you want to see what you can no matter if you're playing against him or not.

"KD's had one hell of a year, both offensively, the streak he was one with the 25-plus, 30-plus and all across the board. … Kudos to him, much respect to him and he deserves it. He had a big-time MVP season."

James finished second in the voting, receiving six first-place votes. Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin finished third in the MVP voting (434 points), while Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah finished fourth (322 points) and Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden fifth (85 points).