The Real Is Back!
KD’s first appearance in SLAM? Issue #92 in November of 2005.
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 3, 2022
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After missing almost a month of basketball due to a sprained MCL, Kevin Durant was surely ready to get back to work. Coming into the contest against Miami, the nine-time All-NBA selection made it clear he didn’t want to be deemed the savior of the Nets’ title hopes.
Easy Money Sniper dropped 17 points, four rebounds, and two assists in the first half of action. His first bucket of the night was a smooth mid-range jumper over Heat center Omar Yurtseven.
After scoring nine points in almost nine minutes of play in the first quarter, Durant didn’t touch the floor again until late in the second quarter when he strung together a vintage scoring outburst, starting with a two-dribble middy over Bam Adebayo.
Moments later, Durant knocked down another mid-range jumper from the right elbow over Duncan Robinson and Caleb Martin.
Then the former MVP turned the temperature up a notch on the Heat after cashing in a hesi pull-up triple with ninety seconds left in the 2nd quarter over Martin, AGAIN!
As expected, the Durants second half was just as good as his first. With the Nets trailing the Heat, 88-84, Durant continued to do what he usually does, get buckets.
Durant tried his best to bring his team back during a gritty fourth quarter during the final frame. The Heat built a lead as large as 10 after two free throws from Tyler Herro. Durant made it interesting late after burying a 13-foot jumper and sinking a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to two, but that’s as close as the Nets would get.
Adebayo slammed the door shut after making a short jumper, and Herro iced the game from the line to give the Heat a 113-107 win.
Although the performance felt sweet to most, winning would’ve put the icing on the cake. Durant ended his comeback game, scoring 25+ for the 30th time this season.
There’s no doubt that Kevin Durant was locked-in and eager to play in front of a jam-packed Barclays Arena, debuting what looks like a new signature colorway for his 14th signature shoe.
After putting on an outstanding performance, Kevin Durant and the eighth seed Brooklyn Nets (32-32) will look to break their four-game losing streak when they take on the sixth-place Boston Celtics (38-27) on Sunday afternoon.
