"We just crack jokes on a few championships that we won together" - Kyrie Irving reveals the goals he and Kevin Durant have set for themselves
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant have a long road ahead of them this season. Various challenges have changed the landscape of the standings for the Brooklyn Nets. They are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with just 17 games left before the playoffs. This was not a position the Nets anticipated themselves in when the season started.
KD’s return to action, despite the losses, has been a big positive for the Nets – as their superstar is picking up where he left off. In the loss against the Boston Celtics, Durant scored 37 points to cross the 25,000 career-point milestone, becoming the seventh-fastest member to join the club.
Kyrie Irving applauds Kevin Durant for reaching 25,000 career points:
"I told him in the locker room, '25,000 points. You're a savant. You are an artist, you have clipped history.' He will forever be remembered as a legend in our game." https://t.co/O37QGTNZ90
Kyrie Irving was happy for his teammate and friend, even recognizing his work ethic by saying:
“Even when he takes six weeks off, it looks like he hasn't missed any time. And that level of work ethic that he puts in, it shows why he's as great as he is.”
Durant has played two games since returning, averaging 34.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists. While his return gave the team renewed hope, Kyrie Irving relayed the goal at hand by saying:
"And for me, it motivates me to continue to get my game up and hopefully when I'm done with my career I could be sitting next to him and having 25,000 as well and look back and we just crack jokes on a few championships that we won together. So that's the goal at hand."
Kyrie Irving has recorded 13,688 points in his career so far, and although joining the 25K club could take quite some time, that’s the kind of confidence that will be beneficial for the Brooklyn Nets. In 16 games this season, Irving has averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists.
The road ahead for Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets (32-33) are ninth in the East, 5.5 games behind a guaranteed playoff spot. If they fail to land in those spots, they will be tested in the play-in tournament. In a rollercoaster season, Kevin Durant’s return means the Nets are still within striking distance as they look for a strong finish to the regular season.
Kyrie Irving will be eligible to participate in only seven of the seventeen remaining games, with Durant expected to shoulder the offense in the others. Their ongoing road trip includes match-ups against the Charlotte Hornets and the Philadelphia 76ers, as the duo will visit their former teammate, James Harden – in Philadelphia.
Ben Simmons will not play in Thursday’s Nets-76ers matchup but is expected to make the return trip to Philadelphia and join the team on the bench at Wells Fargo Center, per @ShamsCharania https://t.co/FtYLypfXZu
While securing the win against the 76ers might be on Kevin Durant’s agenda, the team’s goal is simple – play winning basketball to secure a spot in the playoffs. Although there is no clear picture on Ben Simmons’ return, the Brooklyn Nets still have a roster led by Durant and a part-time Irving, with other pieces coming together.