Getty Andre Drummond, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Durant
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant dropped a career-high 55 points in the Nets’ last game against the Atlanta Hawks. 19 of his 55 points came in the third quarter as he tried to will the Nets to victory after falling behind by as many as 15 points in the contest. Despite Durant having a career night, the result was not worth celebrating as Brooklyn fell to Atlanta 115-122. Nets head coach Steve Nash did not hold back about his team’s performance after the loss.
“I can’t sugarcoat it. The positives are that we stuck together. We could have given in. We could’ve thought it wasn’t our night. We found a way to cut it to three with a couple of minutes left, but we didn’t play a great game and not enough guys played well,” Nash said of the Nets’ performance after the loss per NetsDaily.
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Kevin Durant Sends Bold Message to Nets Play in Opponent
To add insult to injury, that loss to the Hawks has officially locked the Nets into the play-in tournament. As it stands now, they would have to win at least one game in the tournament to secure a spot in the postseason. Who the Nets will face in the tournament remains to be seen, but Durant is not worried about who the team will play in the prequel to the playoffs. He knows that at the end of the day, the Nets will have to play the team that is in front of them and live with the results.
“Who cares? Whoever we play, we play. I don’t care who we play. I don’t care that we’re in the play-in. Just tip the ball up. See what happens,” Durant told reporters after the game via BallisLife. “That’s all you can control. It’s too stressful thinking about or trying to dodge a team. Just play the game.”
KD: “Who cares? Whoever we play, we play. I don’t care who we play. I don’t care that we’re in the play-in. Just tip the ball up. See what happens. That’s all you can control. It’s too stressful thinking about or trying to dodge a team. Just play the game.”
Durant: ‘Every Loss Is Deflating’
Statistically, the Nets still had an opportunity to avoid the play-in during this last stretch of the season. But disappointing losses to the Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Hornets, and the Hawks have them facing a win-or-go-home situation even before the playoffs start. While the loss to Atlanta is what officially locked them into the play-in tournament, Durant says that the loss that decided their fate isn’t more disappointing than any other one.
“Every loss is deflating. I ain’t even worried about that. [I’m] just mad at the loss. I’m glad I shot the ball well. I shot eight threes; a career-high. I wish we would’ve come out with the W just by doing the little stuff,” Durant said per NetsDaily. “My points are going to come. My shots are going to come. But the little stuff we got to do and be on the same page with.”
Although the Nets are now officially locked into the play-In tournament, the team cannot afford to take their foot off the gas. If the Nets continue to lose over this last stretch of the season, they could be facing a situation where they could have to win two play-in games to get into the playoffs, as opposed to just one. Brooklyn will have a chance to get back on track in their next matchup with the Houston Rockets.
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Kevin Durant Sends Strong Warning to Nets Play in Opponent