Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant did little to hide his anger after a tough loss to the shorthanded Los Angeles Clippers on New Years Day 120-116. Brooklyn collapsed in the fourth quarter, getting outscored 40-29, which was at the center of KD’s rage in the press conference afterward via the New York Post.
Afterward, Nets Coach Steve Nash criticized the team for not bringing enough energy and overlooking a depleted Clippers squad. On the other hand, Durant was much more colorful and abrasive with his language to get his point across.
“Like Coach said, we didn’t deserve to win this game. We came in here with a f–ked up attitude to start, thinking we were just gonna walk into a W,” Durant said. “Hopefully, a loss like this sit in your brain until tomorrow. … If you ain’t feeling like s–t after this game, you gotta look yourself in the mirror.”
“It’s natural when a team is missing so many players, they’ve been going through so much over there, and we relaxed,” Durant said. “You wouldn’t think you could lose an NBA game like this. Missing how many guys, playing guys up from the G-League. … They all made an impact, I felt, and we came in too chill.”
The Clippers were playing without Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Nicolas Batum, and six other players who were out with either injury or placed in health and safety protocols. Even Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was in protocols. With the loss, Brooklyn is now on a two-game losing streak.
Durant finished with 28 points on 11-24 shooting, nine rebounds, and three assists. James Harden had a triple-double with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 13 assists.
On Monday night, the Nets (23-11) look to bounce back at home against Memphis (23-14).
