"Kevin Durant was terrible. … When the real KD shows up they’re going to be fine" - Chris Broussard believes Brooklyn Nets remain clear favorites against Celtics despite Game 1 loss
The Boston Celtics’ win in the first game of the series puts the Brooklyn Nets at a disadvantage, but Chris Broussard of “First Things First” seemed unfazed. He agreed that Kevin Durant had a poor game, but stated that this would be a wake-up call.
Broussard said:
"Discouraged? They should be encouraged, are you kidding me? Hold on! Their best player Kevin Durant was terrible."
Broussard continued, highlighting the fact that Durant had a poor game, but the Nets still only lost by a point. He stated:
“That wasn’t KD. They were out there without KD and they lost by a point on a buzzer beating layup. Uhh, nah I’m not discouraged.”
Broussard was confident that Durant would bounce back, noting the last time Durant underperformed to this extent was back in 2019. Broussard stated:
“The last time Kevin Durant played this poorly in a playoff game was the first round of 2019, he was in a Warriors uniform. It was Game 2 against the Clippers – remember when he just decided not to shoot? 5 for 8 from the field, only took eight shots and scored 21 and they lost. Everybody’s like what’s going on?”
Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have a lot riding on their shoulders for the Brooklyn Nets to make a deep playoff run. While Irving dropped 39 points against his former team, Durant had a subpar game.
Kevin Durant dropped 23 points, but made only nine of his 24 field goal attempts and turned the ball over six times. Durant even missed a three-point shot with 15 seconds on the clock, which could have put them ahead by 4 points.
Durant’s miss gave Jayson Tatum a chance to lay up a tough buzzer beating shot to win 115-114 at home.
Should the Nets be discouraged after their Game 1 loss to the Celtics?
"Discouraged? Kevin Durant was terrible. That wasn't KD. They were out there without KD & lost by a point on a buzzer-beater layup. ... When the real KD shows up, they're going to be fine." — @Chris_Broussard https://t.co/xtkyIQttT2
The Nets were good for most of the game, despite the Celtics building a double-digit lead at the end of the third quarter. The Nets then went on to outscore the Celtics 29-19 in the fourth, but were unable to get stops towards the end, which the Celtics capitalized on.
ABSOLUTE CHAOS https://t.co/NFVZt5UCTG
Durant could not convert with the ease he usually displays in the clutch, but Broussard feels it’s a one-off situation for the two-time NBA champion, stating:
“So, I’m gonna bet that Kevin Durant is not going to play several games like he did yesterday. So, no, I’m not discouraged cause when the real KD shows up they’re going to be fine.”
Kevin Durant’s previous playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks
Durant's last playoff series was against the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals.
In that series, we saw Durant demonstrate his generational scoring ability, as he averaged 35.4 points per game throughout the series. He added 10.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game for good measure.
His lowest score in the series was 28 points in Game four, when he shot similar numbers to Game one against the Celtics last night. It’s possible that Durant let the crowd on the road affect his shot-making ability, but we’ve seen him bounce back before.
Kevin Durant has passed Jerry West for eighth place on the NBA's all-time playoff scoring list. https://t.co/CsWEEpSisG
In the Milwaukee series last year, after a disappointing Game four contribution, Kevin Durant dropped 49 points, converting 16 of his 23 field goal attempts. He also recorded a triple-double with 17 rebounds and 10 assists.
Despite Durant’s strong performances throughout the series, the Brooklyn Nets were beaten by Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in seven games.
Kevin Durant will need to bounce back to get himself and the Nets to a rematch of last season’s series and a shot at redemption.