"I'm just mad at the loss" - Kevin Durant highlights his mentality as he puts team in front of his individual stats, mentions he "ain't even worried" about his 50-piece
Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets suffered a devastating 122-115 loss last time out against the Atlanta Hawks, and KD could not hide his disappointment despite his 50-piece.
A victory was crucial for the Nets to stay in the top eight of the Eastern Conference standings. Unfortunately, the loss has demoted them to 10th, and even though their participation in the play-in is guaranteed, they will have to win two games to clinch the 8th seed.
Durant was determined to keep his team in the running, but they came up short. The four-time scoring champ registered a career-high 55 points but that was not enough to quell the streaking Hawks led by Trae Young.
During his post-game presser, Durant was asked if he felt worse about the loss following his 50-piece. In response, he said:
"Every loss is the same. I ain't even worried about that. I'm just mad at the loss. I'm glad I shot the ball well, eight 3's career-high. But, I wish we would have came out with the W, just by doing the little stuff. My points are going to come, my shots are going to come. But the little stuff that we gotta do, we gotta be on the same page.
"I ain't even worried about that. I'm just mad at the loss."
Kevin Durant doesn't see tonight's loss as being more deflating despite his 55 points: https://t.co/G3WXak2BTg
If the Nets hope to reach the playoffs and enjoy a deep run, they need a lot more production from their supporting cast. Kyrie Irving has been sensational since his return, averaging 27.1 points in 25 games played. But even as much as they score, the team needs to do a better job defending their basket.
Kevin Durant has recorded three 50-point games for the Brooklyn Nets this season
The Nets know exactly what to expect with Kevin Durant on the floor, and the nearly seven-foot forward has delivered without fail. He has scored 50+ points in three games this season, and two of them ended in victories for the Nets.
Career night for @KDTrey5.
55 points (career high) on 19-28 shooting
8 threes (career high) on 10 attempts https://t.co/HvwLOM6OgT
Durant was having an outstanding campaign before his knee injury, leading the team in scoring, and was the frontrunner for the MVP. The two-time NBA champ has played 51 games and averaged 30.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists while shooting 52.4% from the field.
Without KD, the Nets have an 8-19 record, defined by their 11-game losing streak from January 23. While Kevin has led them back to winning ways since his return, there is so much work that needs to be done by this Nets team.
Fortunately, Kyrie's presence will be a boost as the All-Star guard is now allowed to play home games. That is especially crucial at this stage as the Nets' remaining four games will be played in New York.