Despite falling narrowly to the Milwaukee Bucks 119-120, Brooklyn Nets All-Star Kevin Durant remained a bright spot for his team in the 4th period and overtime. Durant finished with 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 11 assists in the contest. The Nets have guaranteed themselves a spot in the play-in tournament as the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards are officially out of playoff contention. But that is just the first piece of the puzzle, as Brooklyn will have to win at least one play-in game to guarantee themselves a postseason berth.
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Kevin Durant Says He Has Ankle Injury
As a potential first-round matchup between two juggernauts, things were chippy, as expected, between the Nets and Bucks. But Nets fans were especially holding their breaths in the final minute of overtime. Durant was fouled by Bucks guard Wesley Matthews, who was attempting to block the Nets star’s three-point attempt. Matthews, however, did not give Durant a chance to land, and as a result, the two-time NBA Finals MVP twisted his ankle badly and laid on the ground in pain for an extended period. Durant explains that it is the second time in as many games that he has suffered an ankle injury, and he is hurting.
“I’m hurting. That’s 2 games in a row [that] players walked up underneath me when I’m trying to make a basketball play, and my ankle is hurt,” Durant said after the game per SNY.
“I’m hurting. That’s 2 games in a row players walked up underneath me when I’m trying to make a basketball play”
-Kevin Durant on his ankle
Although he is dealing with that injury, Durant says he does not intend to miss any games down the stretch for the Nets.
“Nah I’m good it’s just a little sore. You know how that goes,” Durant said after the game per SNY.
Kevin Durant said he won’t miss any time or games with his sore ankle
Durant also says that he feels that the play that was made by Matthews was a ‘reckless’ play.
“I mean, we all thought that was reckless right? I think technically, I have to be in the air and if I come down on his foot, then that’s a flagrant. He came running into my leg a split second before, “Durant said per SNY. “As I was coming down, I might have hit the floor and when I hit the floor, he came running at my leg. It wasn’t a contest. I thought it was supposed to be flagrant. Technically, I didn’t make the correct play to make it a flagrant.”
“I mean, we all thought that was reckless, right?”
Kevin Durant discusses the foul on his 3-point attempt toward the end of overtime
“I thought it was supposed to be a flagrant. But technically, I didn’t make the correct play to get a flagrant”
Kevin Durant on Nets Loss: ‘We’re Going To Make Mistakes’
The Nets’ last game against the Bucks was a big test for them as a group. Unfortunately, they came up short in the end. But the fact that the Nets were able to hang with the defending champs until the very end is a sign of how far they have come this season, and proof that they can hang with the top contenders in the Eastern Conference. Despite being a low seed heading into the playoffs, most people look at Brooklyn as one of the teams to fear in the Eastern Conference. But despite the Nets being held in high regard by many, Durant says that people shouldn’t expect perfection.
“It’s basketball mistakes. We’re going to make mistakes in the game. We’re not going to play a perfect basketball game,” Durant said per SNY. “It always sucks when you lose. You tend to think back on the mistakes that you made, but we try to play mistake-free basketball. S*** didn’t roll our way. They made one more shot than we did. I don’t think it was a lack of chemistry or we didn’t play hard. It was one of those games that didn’t fall our way.”
Kevin Durant didn’t want to reflect on the Nets’ mistakes tonight vs. Bucks
“We’re not going to play a perfect basketball game. It sucks when you lose that you tend to think back on the mistakes that you made but we try to play mistake-free basketball”
Durant and the Nets will have a chance to get back on the winning track in their next game against the Atlanta Hawks.
READ NEXT: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving Call Out ‘Reckless’ Bucks After Overtime Loss
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‘I’m Hurting’: Kevin Durant Reveals He Has Injury as Nets Eye Playoff Berth