Kevin Durant wins NBA MVP: It was announced on Tuesday that the Oklahoma City Thunder's star has won his very first Most Valuable Player award in his career.

With 119 first place votes and 1,232 points, Kevin Durant ran away with the NBA MVP trophy this season. The closest to him was LeBron James with six first place votes and 891 points total.

Kevin Durant won his fourth scoring crown in five years this season by averaging 32 points per game. He helped the Thunder finish the regular season with a 59-23 record, second best in the league, despite playing much of the season without three-time All-Star Russell Westbrook by his side because of a nagging knee injury, according to ESPN.com.

Westbrook's injury gave Durant an opportunity to use his improving skills as a playmaker.

"I've always been a player that was excited for my teammates' success," Durant said. "Not just mine, but my teammates' as well. Wanting to see them do well translates to my game, which is wanting to pass the ball and seeing my teammates reap the benefits."

Teammates and opponents say Durant became a more complete player this season. They praised him for improving his court vision, consistently making the extra pass and moving more efficiently without the ball, according to ESPN.com.

"What he does is tough to do," teammate Nick Collison said. "I think we take it for granted. To be able to stay on for long periods of time -- have to cut hard, catch the ball in the right spot and defend on the other end -- is tough to do. To be able to show that shows that he has an edge to him. He doesn't take a night off."

Durant becomes the first player to win both the scoring title and the MVP award in the same season since Allen Iverson did it in 2000-01, according to ESPN.com.

"He's been the most consistent guy all season long," Westbrook said at the end of the regular season. "He's done a great job of leading us to where we are now. He's basically put himself in front of everybody else in the league and shown that he's the best player in the world."