"We're veterans, we're supposed to know how to adapt to some s**t" - Kevin Durant disappointed by Brooklyn Nets' lopsided home loss to Milwaukee Bucks
Kevin Durant believes in plainspeak. The Brooklyn Nets superstar was clear in his assessment of his team's performance after their 109-121 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. Durant had 29 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, but could not stop the Brooklyn Nets from losing their second meeting with the Bucks this season.
Brooklyn Nets were also hampered by the absence of Kyrie Irving. Irving, who played his first game for the Nets in their last outing in Indiana, wasn't allowed to play in Brooklyn home games because of his unvaccinated status.
But Durant did not feel Irving's in-and-out status was a factor in the Brooklyn Nets' loss. He believes the team can adjust to playing without Kyrie. He commented in the post-game media interaction:
"No. I don't think so because we've been playing the majority of our games without him [Kyrie Irving]... We're professionals. We're veterans. We're supposed to know how to adapt to some s--t. We've been playing without him all season. One game shouldn't throw us off like that."
"We're professionals. We're veterans. We're supposed to know how to adapt to some s--t. One game shouldn't throw us off like that" - Kevin Durant https://t.co/BJjHAg4GMa
"I don't believe that's an excuse at all," says Kevin Durant as Brooklyn Nets adjust to several lineup changes
In addition to the Kyrie Irving factor, the Brooklyn Nets have had to deal with several lineup changes because of injuries to players like Joe Harris and the COVID situation that has impacted teams around the NBA.
But Durant wasn't willing to accept the different lineups as an excuse for their loss. He said:
"No excuses. I don't believe that's an excuse at all. It could have played a factor but I don't think it's playing a factor with us right now. We've been around each other for four or five months now. We know the business of the league. It's going to be different lineups. We got to face different challenges as players. But it's about how we come together as a group. Sometimes we've been good in those situations, sometimes we haven't. Just keep grinding."
Kevin Durant on how much changing lineups have impacted the Nets' tough stretch of late:
"No excuses, I don't believe that's an excuse at all" https://t.co/FdmpfiESay
While Durant put the onus on the team to be ready and accept the challenge of playing with different lineups, Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash said the Nets would continue to experiment with different rotations throughout the season.
Nash told the media:
"It's really difficult to land on who we want to go with. Sometimes it's an experiment, sometimes your hand is forced, you know with guys being in and out of the lineup... It is difficult because a lot of guys are very similar in their role and their level. It's impossible to play them all. We are going through different iterations of the group, different experiementation."
Steve Nash says he could see the Nets experiment with rotations and lineups "the whole year"
"It's really difficult to land on who we want to go with" https://t.co/bdYVRd27bm