“I think it might be stronger believe it or not” - Ian Eagle's take on Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving’s relationship
Kyrie Irving's return to the Brooklyn Nets has been great news for teammate and friend Kevin Durant, but has seemingly sparked mixed reactions from NBA fans and pundits alike. Sports analyst Shannon Sharpe said that it would be hard for him to be Kyrie's teammate, even though he understands why the franchise opted to bring him back.
Meanwhile, well-known sports television personality Stephen A. Smith, was particularly upset about the Nets playing without Kyrie Irving, saying he would not be surprised if Durant demanded he be traded at the end of the season. However, the reality of the situation is that Irving's season debut resulted in a win for the Nets, and Durant in particular shared his joy at having his teammate back on floor .
Sports commentator Dan Patrick invited Nets announcer Ian Eagle on his show, "The Dan Patrick Show," to discuss Kyrie Irving's return and his relationship with Kevin Durant. The conversation started with Patrick asking Eagle, if he thought Irving cared about what was being said about him on social media, to which the Nets announcer replied:
"Now? No. I think there was a time, yes. I think now he's probably gotten to a point where it's not something that dominates his thoughts on a day-to-day basis. I believe that he got to a level where he was getting nothing but hate and negativity, and just determined that it was not going to be productive for him or for his group, for his staff, for his team."
Patrick then went on to ask Eagle if he thought the relationship between Irving and Durant had been strained this season. to which Eagle responded by saying:
"I think it might be stronger, believe it or not. And I know it's counterintuitive... But they've got a bond, a legitimate one, and I think KD just digs Kyrie's vibe and the fact that he doesn't go along with what everybody wants."
It would have been understandable if Kevin Durant felt some type of way about Kyrie Irving's absence, especially considering the fact that the Nets were not as lethal as they were expected to be. Nonetheless, we now know that there is no bad blood between the two superstars.
Can Kevin Durant hold down the fort during home games without Kyrie Irving?
Kevin Durant is currently averaging 29.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game as he looks to be a possible MVP candidate. Meanwhile, Kyrie has made only one appearance so far, registering 22 points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals.
The Nets had a 21-9 record and were sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings before the announcement of Kyrie's return, which pointed to the fact that they had done a decent job so far without him.
However, their strong showing this season came at the expense of Kevin Durant logging more minutes and risking exhaustion or even injury before the playoffs.
Unfortunately, the Nets have lost four of their last five games, their only win coming courtesy of Irving's second-half dominance against the Indiana Pacers on the road. All of their other losses have been at home, without the services of Irving.
Kevin Durant was DEEP in his bag in the @BrooklynNets come-from-behind victory 💼
39 PTS
15-24 FG
8 REB
7 AST
59.1 FPTS https://t.co/flbQ9LrW6d
Kevin Durant is an elite-level athlete and can undoubtedly lead the team to victories every other night, but that has not been the case so far. In partnership with James Harden. However, the team will look to turn things around and start picking up wins in front of their home fans, while Irving should continue to bring a much-needed boost on the road.