Kevin Durant is widely expected to be named 2014 NBA MVP, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are on the cusp of elimination by the Memphis Grizzlies in a 2-3 deficit.

Dirk Nowitzki is the most recent regular season MVP to have his team lose in the first round, falling to the Golden State Warriors in 2007.

Wes Unseld (1969) and Moses Malone (1979, 1982) are the other two MVPs to lose in the first round, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named MVP in 1976 despite missing the playoffs in his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Durant has a PER of 18.96 during the first five game of the series, down from his season mark of 30.2. Durant's True Shooting Percentage has dropped from .635 to .492 as the Grizzlies have done an excellent job in defending him.

Nowitzki's PER dropped from 27.7 during his MVP regular season to 21.8 against the Warriors over six games.