"You want to be a champion?" - Kevin Durant opens up on building a championship mentality, stresses on strong work ethic
Kevin Durant has been in phenomenal form for the Brooklyn Nets over the past few games. However, the team has not been able to transcend his good form into victories. The 33-year-old emphasized the importance of work ethic and how much everyday matters in order to get to a championship.
He also stated how the team needs to play well every day and not just against the bigger teams in the league. Speaking about the Nets' road ahead, Durant said in his post-practice interview that:
"I've been saying this the whole year like each day matters like the next day matters, you know like, what we got in front of us, we could talk about expectations and when you see this team on the paper, I always said this, but everyday matters. You wanna be a champion, every second that's your step on the floor, not just when you play a good team or playoffs coming up, I think being a champion is in the habits, the work ethic, the care that you have for the game, you know."
"You want to be a champion? Every second that you step on the floor matters. Being a champion is in the habits and the work ethic, the care that you have for the game."
- Kevin Durant https://t.co/bsngquJKzQ
The Nets' biggest problem has been their defense. A recent example of that was their loss to the Atlanta Hawks, where Kevin Durant scored a career-high 55 points, but the team still ended up losing 115-122 to the Hawks.
At one point, the team was at the number one position in the East, but things have not gone in their favor since then, which has resulted in them slipping to 10th in the Conference.
With tonight's loss, the Brooklyn Nets will officially be in the Play-In Tournament. https://t.co/5SX5QEcGX3
Durant and Kyrie Irving are the team's biggest hopes in the play-in tournament. The superstar duo are offensive geniuses, but if the Nets are to get into the playoffs, they will have to perform well as a collective unit.
Can Kevin Durant lead the Brooklyn Nets to the playoffs?
Kevin Durant has been in terrific form over the past five games, averaging 34.4 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 6.2 APG. However, the Nets have lost in three of these games, showcasing weak defense in all of their outings.
The team were given a major setback as their latest signing, Ben Simmons, has been ruled out of the season due to a back injury. He was expected to help improve the team's defense and his absence will definitely prove to be a big one for the Nets.
Tough result, but KD gave it his all. https://t.co/GyuvlWHqNo
They have a good supporting cast with players like Seth Curry, Patty Mills, Andre Drummond and Goran Dragic. All of these players have the experience of performing in the playoffs, but doubts remain over their defensive prowess. They have the perfect mix of experience and talent, but they have just not been able to play with consistency.
KAI coming through in crunch time https://t.co/X1Eg9UpyTL
Currently, the Nets are in the 10th spot, which means that they would have to win two more games if they are to make it to the playoffs. However, with players like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, they will always be the favorites to get out of the play-in tournament and fight their way through the competition to make some noise in the playoffs. The road ahead is tough for the team, but they definitely have all the tools to come out of it on top.