Kevin Durant has delivered for Brooklyn right when it was needed.
Amid a tumultuous week at the Nets including the firing of coach Steve Nash and suspension of Kyrie Irving, Durant – playing in his hometown of Washington – put the team on his back on Saturday (all times AEDT) in a 128-86 dominance of the Wizards.
The star forward posted 28 points, two triples, nine rebounds and 11 assists in 33 minutes to lead the Nets to a big win and improve to 3-6 on the season.
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Sat, 05 Nov
Saturday November 5th
Durant was on fire from the opening tip, scoring 12 points in the first quarter including performing an epic ankle breaking dribble move on Daniel Gafford late in the period that prompted a surprise eruption from the Wizards fans – and big reaction from the NBA world on social media.
“I really thought he slipped on some sweat there … I was glad that we were able to get some momentum, I was able to get some space to do my thing and I’m glad I finished the shot too,” Durant said post- match of the game, per ClutchPoints.
Durant admitted after Saturday’s shoot around that the fallout from Irving’s social media post on an antisemitic book and movie – that Irving initially refused to apologize for before eventually doing so – is an “unfortunate situation” “just sucks all around for everybody and hopefully we can move past it”.
“I’m not here to judge anyone or talk down on anyone for how they feel, their view or anything,” Durant said, per ESPN.
“I just didn’t like anything that went on. I feel like it was all unnecessary. I felt like we could have just kept playing basketball and kept quiet as an organization. I just don’t like any of it.”
Durant later clarified his comments on social media that he does not “condon hate speech or antisemitism.”
Elsewhere for Brooklyn, Nic Claxton had 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, while Bradley Beal’s 20 points led the Wizards.
Ben Simmons missed a fourth-straight game for the Nets with a knee issue and has not traveled for the team with its current road trip in Washington to Charlotte.
ALL RESULTS
CAVALIERS 112 PISTONS 88
HEAT 99 PACERS 101
KNICKS 106 SIXERS 104
NETS 128 WIZARDS 86
BULLS – CELTICS
HORNETS – GRIZZLIES
CLIPPERS – SPURS
RAPTORS – MAVERICKS
WARRIORS – PELICANS
BUCKS – TIMBERWOLVES
TRAIL BLAZERS – SUNS
JAZZ – LAKERS
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