"I've just got to be prepared for anything at any given time" - Kevin Durant on his recent big-game performances despite health concerns for the Brooklyn Nets
Kevin Durant is a man on a mission. With the Brooklyn Nets having seven players in the NBA's health and safety protocols, Durant has put the team on his shoulders and carried them to four consecutive wins.
Starters James Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre' Bembry were not available for the Brooklyn Nets' contest against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night. In their absence, Durant tallied 34 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to give the Nets a 114-105 win against the 76ers at Barclays Center.
🗣️ YOU KNOW WHO HE IS 🐐 @KDTrey5 https://t.co/ofmw6eHHTj
Durant is averaging 39.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 9.3 apg and shooting 48.8% in the Brooklyn Nets' last three contests. He dropped his highest-scoring game for the Nets - a 51-point scorcher - against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
On Tuesday, KD tallied his second triple-double of the season to lead the Brooklyn Nets to an overtime victory against the Toronto Raptors.
Kevin Durant in his last 3 games:
39.7 PPG
48.8 FG%
9.3 APG
10.3 RPG
MVP mode 🔥 https://t.co/x7UqjJqb3V
Following the win against the 76ers, Durant was asked about his mentality heading into the Nets' recent contests, given their injury woes and knowing that he would be the focal point of the opposition's defensive efforts.
The 33-year-old told the media:
"It's a challenge knowing how you want to come into the game because a lot of these teams, they scheme for me a little different. We watch film on how teams play other opponents on defense and I look at that film and I'm like, 'They may not guard me like that.' It might be something different. So I got to be prepared for anything coming into a game. A team might trap me as soon as I catch it. They may not trap me. Pick-and-rolls they may trap. Sometimes they may play a drop. I've just got to be prepared for anything at any given time so I try not to distract myself with anything else but just next possession and that's really my mindset when I step on the floor."
"I've just got to be prepared for anything at any given time"
Kevin Durant talks about how different things are with the Nets' absences: https://t.co/Iv7Hj0AusQ
Brooklyn Nets' Nic Claxton calls Kevin Durant the "GOAT"
Because of the Brooklyn Nets' health-related issues, Kevin Durant is having to play a lot of basketball with the younger players on the team. Nic Claxton, Cam Thomas, Kessler Edwards and David Duke Jr have had a terrific opportunity to play extended minutes alongside KD with the unavailability of the other starters.
Claxton, who had 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting while playing as starting center against the 76ers, was full of admiration following the Nets' 21st win of the season. Speaking of Durant's red-hot form, he told the media:
"It's definitely not something you can take for granted. I think he's the GOAT. He's making plays for us, trusting in us, and he's just getting the job done. He's playing a lot of minutes too on the offensive end and also on the defensive end. I don't think he gets enough credit on the defensive end."
Nic Claxton on Kevin Durant's recent performances:
"It's definitely not something you can take for granted. I think he's the GOAT. He's making plays for us, trusting in us, and he's just getting the job done" https://t.co/UnnvVXqvif