With only 16 games in common, the “Big Three” of the Nets (Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden) will have left only a very small trace in the history of the game. From this aborted experience, we will rather remember the quantity of injuries affecting the three men or the refusal of Kyrie Irving to be vaccinated against Covid…
Last night in Brooklyn, “KD” was back at the Barclays Center for the second time since he was traded in 2023. In 30 minutes, the Suns star signed 24 points and 8 rebounds in the big victory for his team . He took the opportunity to return to this failed experience.
« Even though we had a lot of dysfunction, I guess you could call it that, for lack of a better term… But regardless of that, a lot of people in those stands continued to support us and come out and applaud at everything. break up for basketball and for the Nets, and that’s what struck me the most », seeks to positive Kevin Durant.
The “perfect, ideal” situation
A meager consolation prize for the local public, although not known to be the hottest in the entire league. He has long been able to fantasize about this association, born with the arrivals of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving during the summer of 2019, before the acquisition in a transfer of the bearded man in January 2021.
« That was the most important thing, we couldn’t go on the field together. Lots of injuries. Injuries to James, Kyrie and myself played a role, as well as Covid. This has confused a lot of things. But I think in terms of basketball, chemistry, camaraderie and teamwork, it was the perfect, ideal situation », Qualifies Kevin Durant again.
But as James Harden will say after his departure to Philadelphia, something was missing from this franchise at the time. “ It’s just that there was no structure and even superstars need structure. This is what allows us to be the best players and leaders in our respective franchises », blurted the bearded man.
-« There were a lot of stories around each player – me, James and Kyrie – about our mentality as men. But once we were on the field and we played together, once you saw the culture that we were building, it was something that the fans could get behind, I think », judges Kevin Durant today.
A culture that was under construction
Obviously, except that Nets fans have had too little opportunity to do so. “ The first year, when James came in halfway through the season, it was one of the most incredible basketball plays I’ve seen and been a part of. But more than anything, the locker room, the bus rides, the plane rides, the hotels, it was the culture that we were building, and a lot of people didn’t get to see it, but I I wish they could do it. It was special », Qualifies Kevin Durant.
Between mid-February 2021 and April 2021, the Nets had chained 20 victories in 23 outings, with a stratospheric James Harden at 27.5 points, 11 assists and 9.5 rebounds on average, a Kyrie Irving at 28 points on average, while KD was in the infirmary most of the time.
« There was no title, but the people who had year-round subscriptions, who took their car in the cold, who came to see us play, still remember certain moments, certain matches of the regular season, some playoff games. Moments that people can hold on to, you can feel this love when I come here “, in any case ends “KD”.
| Kevin Durant | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | To | Pd | Fte | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2007-08 | SEA | 80 | 35 | 43.0 | 28.8 | 87.3 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 20.3 |
| 2008-09 | OKC | 74 | 39 | 47.6 | 42.2 | 86.3 | 1.0 | 5.5 | 6.5 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 25.3 |
| 2009-10 | OKC | 82 | 40 | 47.6 | 36.5 | 90.0 | 1.3 | 6.3 | 7.6 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 30.1 |
| 2010-11 | OKC | 78 | 39 | 46.2 | 35.0 | 88.0 | 0.7 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 27.7 |
| 2011-12 | OKC | 66 | 39 | 49.6 | 38.7 | 86.0 | 0.6 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 28.0 |
| 2012-13 | OKC | 81 | 39 | 51.0 | 41.6 | 90.5 | 0.6 | 7.3 | 7.9 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 28.1 |
| 2013-14 ★ | OKC | 81 | 39 | 50.3 | 39.1 | 87.3 | 0.7 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 5.5 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 32.0 |
| 2014-15 | OKC | 27 | 34 | 51.0 | 40.3 | 85.4 | 0.6 | 6.0 | 6.6 | 4.1 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 25.4 |
| 2015-16 | OKC | 72 | 36 | 50.5 | 38.8 | 89.8 | 0.6 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 5.0 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 28.2 |
| 2016-17 | GOS | 62 | 33 | 53.7 | 37.5 | 87.5 | 0.6 | 7.6 | 8.3 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 25.1 |
| 2017-18 | GOS | 68 | 34 | 51.6 | 41.9 | 88.9 | 0.5 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 5.4 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 26.4 |
| 2018-19 | GOS | 78 | 35 | 52.1 | 35.3 | 88.5 | 0.4 | 5.9 | 6.4 | 5.9 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 26.0 |
| 2020-21 | BRK | 35 | 33 | 53.7 | 45.0 | 88.2 | 0.4 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 5.6 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 26.9 |
| 2021-22 | BRK | 55 | 37 | 51.8 | 38.3 | 91.0 | 0.5 | 6.9 | 7.4 | 6.4 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.5 | 0.9 | 29.9 |
| 2022-23 * | All Teams | 47 | 36 | 56.0 | 40.4 | 91.9 | 0.4 | 6.3 | 6.7 | 5.0 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 29.1 |
| 2022-23 * | BRK | 39 | 36 | 55.9 | 37.6 | 93.4 | 0.4 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 5.3 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 29.7 |
| 2022-23 * | PHX | 8 | 34 | 57.0 | 53.7 | 83.3 | 0.4 | 6.0 | 6.4 | 3.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 26.0 |
| 2023-24 | PHX | 75 | 37 | 52.3 | 41.3 | 85.6 | 0.5 | 6.1 | 6.6 | 5.0 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 27.1 |
| 2024-25 | PHX | 33 | 36 | 52.3 | 38.4 | 82.9 | 0.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 4.1 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 27.2 |
| Total | 1093 | 37 | 50.1 | 38.7 | 88.3 | 0.7 | 6.3 | 7.0 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 27.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
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