Former NBA champion happy for Kevin Durant, indirectly taunts Steve Nash and Kyrie Irving: “They actually have a great leader in their Head Coach”
Kendrick Perkins is happy to see Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets do well after a string of poor performances. The Nets recorded an emphatic 110-95 road win over the LA Clippers on Saturday. It was their fourth win in five games.
Here's what Perkins tweeted about the team's positive run after their victory over the Clippers:
"I’m actually Happy for KD and the rest of the players in that locker room right now!!! They actually have a great leader in their Head Coach and most importantly they can just focus on playing basketball and having fun while doing it. Carry on…"
During that stretch, the Nets were without controversial star Kyrie Irving, who has been suspended because of his recent antisemitic remarks. The Nets also removed the "interim" tag off coach Jacque Vaughn during that period. Former coach Steve Nash and Durant's co-star Irving have been heavily criticized for the team's poor performances while they were around.
I’m actually Happy for KD and the rest of the players in that locker room right now!!! They actually have a great leader in their Head Coach and most importantly they can just focus on playing basketball and having fun while doing it. Carry on…
Nash was called out for his poor in-game adjustments and tactics, while Irving was considered a disturbance to the locker room environment due to his behavior off the court. Many fans and analysts believe Irving's off-court controversies impacted the team's performances on the court.
Kendrick Perkins slyly taunted Nash and Irving, saying Kevin Durant and the rest of the Brooklyn Nets squad look happier now. He also complimented new coach Vaughn's leadership and mentioned that Brooklyn's players are solely focused on basketball.
Kevin Durant and Brooklyn Nets on a tear following Steve Nash's firing and Kyrie Irving's suspension
Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets seem to have turned a corner following their recent run of four wins in six games. They are 4-2 since Jacque Vaughn took over the coaching job from Steve Nash and 4-1 following Kyrie Irving's suspension.
As Kendrick Perkins mentioned in his tweet, the Nets locker room looks in great spirits. Vaughn seems to have ignited the fire with his expressive coaching style. Brooklyn has played with more physicality and intensity on the defensive end of the floor.
Also read: Kevin Durant on Jacque Vaughn: “He deserves this opportunity; great basketball mind, great team builder”
They are also moving the ball better offensively. They struggled in these two areas big time under Nash's leadership, leading to a 2-5 start. Kevin Durant has also been phenomenal, showing his young teammates how it's done on both ends of the floor.
He has taken on the challenge of guarding the opposing team's best players on numerous occasions, inspiring the rest of their teammates to increase their competitive edge. The Nets lead the league in points +/- differential (+17.2) in their last five games. They have averaged 26.8 assists per game during that stretch, the seventh-highest mark in the league.
Durant and the Nets have had the best offensive (113.6), defensive (95.4) and net rating (18.2) during this period. They produced a complete performance in Saturday's win over the LA Clippers on the road.
Kevin Durant led the way with 27 points, six rebounds, two steals and blocks apiece, shooting on a 63/60/100 split. Four other players scored in double digits. The Nets shot 48.2% from the floor, including 16 of 35 from 3-point range, on 27 team assists.
They also came up big defensively, restricting the Clippers to only 95 points on 40.0% shooting. LA didn't have any players crossing the 20-point mark. The Nets did an excellent job keeping the in-form Paul George quiet, limiting him to 17 points on 5 of 21 shooting.
Brooklyn has improved to a 6-7 record. They will be hoping to hit the .500 mark for the first time this season with a win against the 2-10 LA Lakers on the second night of a back-to-back.