If you are a fan of NBA basketball, then chances are that you already knew Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant was a special talent. And for those who did not know, they were put on notice during the Nets 2021 playoff run. Despite a disappointing ending to the playoffs, KD proved that he is arguably the best player in the world.
Coming into the playoffs, the Nets were viewed as the heavy favorites to win this year’s NBA title. They looked good in the first round but in the second round disaster struck as both James Harden and Kyrie Irving suffered injuries in their matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Kevin Durant Not Satisfied With His 2021 Postseason
If the Nets had just mailed the season in after Harden and Irving went down, many people would not have even questioned the decision. Durant himself had already missed 23 games earlier this season with a hamstring injury. This was coming after an 18-month layoff due to a torn Achilles that he suffered during the 2019 NBA Finals. For Durant to be asked to carry a load that heavy by himself would have been a great risk.
Durant never complained though. Instead, he rose to the challenge. In Game 7 of the series against the Milwaukee Bucks, he dropped 48 points which is the most points scored in a Game 7 in NBA history. Unfortunately, Durant’s historic performance came in a losing effort as the Nets lost in overtime to the Bucks. Even with the Nets’ elimination, Durant was lauded for his ability to push the Bucks to the brink despite the Nets being hobbled. But none of that matters to the two-time NBA Finals MVP because, in the end, the Nets fell short of their goal of winning a championship.
“I’m getting so many congratulations now: I didn’t do anything. We lost,” Durant said on the Boardroom: Out of Office” podcast. “I knew I could play; I knew I was nice. I’ve scored 48 before. I had big games before, I made big shots before. So, it didn’t feel like anything special to me because we lost.”
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Durant Can Feel Culture Shift Happening in Brooklyn
Although Durant and the Nets fell short of their goal of a championship, they did secure one win in this postseason. That being that in a city that is considered a Knicks town, they have started to develop their own separate identity across the bridge. Durant can feel the culture shift happening in Brooklyn and knows that it will only improve with time and hopefully a championship.
“Just the camaraderie we built with the fans. The culture we kind of built around Barclays and just Nets culture in general,” Durant said. “People kind of look at the Nets now and like, ‘All right, they can be contenders next year.’ I like that part of it. I was excited about that going forward. I was excited about that even in the regular season. It felt pretty solid to start to build a culture. I feel like a lot Nets fans feel like, ‘Yo, we got a chance.’ To make some noise next year.”
Trading for a superstar midseason often depletes your roster and leaves many holes to be filled. Coming back with three healthy all-stars and a complete offseason to prepare the Nets have a great shot to win the 2022 NBA Finals.
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Nets Star Explains Why His First Playoff Run ‘Didn’t Feel Special’