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The Brooklyn Nets got back on the winning track on March 26 in their matchup with the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat. After trailing 15-7 in the first quarter, the Nets took the lead heading into the second quarter and never relinquished it. After leading by as many as 37 points in the contest, the Nets secured a 110-95 win in one of their most impressive outings this season.
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Kevin Durant Takes Aim At Knicks Writer After Win vs Heat
Nets star Kevin Durant had another big night for his team in the win. He finished with 23 points on 50% shooting from the field, to go along with 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals in the contest. After struggling for much of the season, the Nets finally seem to be putting the pieces together. And with Kyrie Irving now eligible to be a full-time participant, and Ben Simmons getting closer to a return to the court, Brooklyn could be back on track to be a title contender in the playoffs.
After the win, Durant took a shot at the Nets’ inner-city rivals, the New York Knicks, who are not likely to qualify for the postseason. He did so after noticing an unfamiliar face in the Nets’ presser.
“I thought the Nets were irrelevant,” Durant said Stefan Bondy of the “New York Daily News” per SNY.
Durant Applauds Nets’ Improved Defense
Overall, the Nets seem to be a better team since the James Harden trade. But Brooklyn’s most notable change is their defensive intensity. In their win over the Heat, the Nets had 15 blocks, and a season-high 15 steals. The offensive talents of Durant and Kyrie Irving are more than enough to carry the scoring load for Brooklyn. But having a swarming defense is a welcomed bonus that Durant says will only lead to even more offense for the Nets.
“I think our defense led into our offense. We did a good job of being physical early on. That’s a physical basketball team so we matched their physicality. I think all phases of our game worked tonight. Defensively and offensively, just doing all the little things. We got to build on it for tomorrow,” Durant told reporters after the win per NetsDaily.
“We assumed they were going to come out here with a lot of firepower. They did. We got down 15-7 early, but we weathered the storm. We took their punch and was able to keep going.”
When Durant hit the free agency market in 2019, many suspected that if he were to leave the Golden State Warriors, it would be to come to New York to play for the Knicks. Durant and his agent Rich Kleiman were building his brand and image off the court. What better place to do that than the media capital of the world? In the end, Durant did choose to come to New York, but it was to play on the Nets with Irving. Brooklyn is eyeing their second straight playoff appearance with the dynamic duo at the helm.
As for the Knicks, after an impressive 2021 campaign where they snapped a 7-year playoff drought, they are back in familiar territory as they sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference with a 32-42 record. It may be safe to say that Durant made the right choice.
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