Kevin Durant reflects on much-needed win against Charlotte Hornets: "Once the ball is tipped, all the bulls**t goes out the window"
Kevin Durant feels good after claiming victory over the Charlotte Hornets last night. Despite all the drama that surrounded the Brooklyn Nets, Durant powered his team to a much-needed win.
He told the press that the Nets were itching to play and regain momentum for the season. Brooklyn had lost six of their nine games before facing Charlotte, so their victory against the Hornets came as a huge confidence boost.
"Once the ball is tipped, all the bulls**t goes out the window," Durant said. "Everybody was just waiting to get back to playing. We also lost 3 or 4 games before that, so we just felt some pride and wanted to come out here and get some W's. So it's good for our character."
The Nets' immediate future remains uncertain. Kyrie Irving has been suspended due to his recent anti-Semitic actions. According to Sports Illustrated, Irving will only be allowed to play again if he verbally apologizes to the media and the Jewish community.
Ben Simmons, meanwhile, has struggled all season. He has been underperforming as part of the Nets' big three. Moreover, he's currently dealing with soreness in his left knee. Thankfully, his MRI results have come out clean, and he's expected to play again after Brooklyn's road games.
However, with the two stars out of action for a while, the Nets only have Kevin Durant to rely on. Durant remains one of the league's elite scorers. It might be a tall order for him to carry the load all alone, but he's a superstar used to this kind of pressure.
The question, though, will be: how long can Durant carry the Nets till his fellow stars return?
Kevin Durant carries Brooklyn Nets to victory over Charlotte Hornets
The Brooklyn Nets beat the Charlotte Hornets 98-94. With two-third of their big three out of action, Kevin Durant took over as the Nets claimed victory. He ended the game with 27 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. He didn't necessarily have his best 3-point shooting night but still shot 50%.
Durant got a bit of help from his teammates, especially Cam Thomas, who scored 21 points on 5-of-11 shooting. With both Irving and Simmons out, Thomas' number was called. In their previous game against the Washington Wizards, he scored 17 points, accompanied by six assists and four rebounds.
Before Brooklyn's last two road games, Thomas had hardly any playing time. In his last five games before the road games, Thomas only averaged 0.4 minutes per game. In Irving and Simmons' absence, the Nets have given him the opportunity to play, and he's seemingly making the most of it.
It seems Kevin Durant shouldn't worry too much about help if Thomas can stay consistent with his performances.