Gary Sheffield, Jr
Videos by OutKick
The KD/Kyrie Brooklyn Nets took on the Washington Wizards on Sunday, and while the final score didn’t matter, the first 25 minutes or so did. Durant and Irving hardly grazed the rim all night as they poured in 33 points in just 41 combined minutes.
Their dominant offensive show comes after KD and Irving had an awkward exchange on Instagram live. If you missed it, Irving insisted that he should get “at least eight post-up touches a game,” while Durant shot that idea down in front of thousands. Speculation instantly grew about how these two would fit together on the same team, but it seems that there’s chemistry between them on the court after all.
🗣 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, KEVIN DURANT. pic.twitter.com/uCfxFsuhav
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 13, 2020
As a duo, Irving and Durant got shots up early, combining for 21 shots until they were pulled early in the third quarter. Durant led the attempts with 12, which is as it should be. Part of the reason KD snapped back at Irving in the first place was because he wasn’t going to allow another player to overshadow him. Durant witnessed lesser player Russell Westbrook try this in OKC, and he wasn’t about to let it happen again from Kyrie in Brooklyn.
It’s awesome to see Kevin Durant scoring for the first time in 552 days, but it’s even more refreshing to see some alpha mentality. He essentially told Kyrie, “Get me the ball!” And it worked. Irving led the team with four assists before he was pulled.
3⃣3⃣ for KD, Kyrie in first half as teammates!
— NBA (@NBA) December 14, 2020
Durant: 15 PTS (5-8 FGM)
Irving: 18 PTS (7-9 FGM), 4 AST#NBAPreseason on @NBATV pic.twitter.com/4ix75Nug8a
Kyrie Irving is one of the game’s most confusing personalities, yet Durant chose to join him anyway. Just because things went well tonight doesn’t mean it’s all rainbows and lollipops from here on out, but at least it’s a start.
Welcome back, KD. The game (and the ratings) needed you.
Not a huge fan of the NBA especially lately but it’s good to see KD back. Always been a fan of his game since I first saw him play in Seattle.
I’m not a fan of NBA right now either. I refuse to watch. But KD always seemed like a good guy. Even though I’m not watching the NBA, I’ll read about him here on Outkick and be wishing him well. I just hope KD doesn’t go woke and start sucking down the butter biscuits white liberals like Kerr, Popovich, and other fools are sellling. Hopefully KD realizes he doesnt need any pathetic white liberal saviors.
Meh!
NBA is fantastic. Can’t wait. The other kind of load management that the players had to put up with in the bubble with no side girlfriends was excruciating. Now we can get down to sitting out games, bitching about the shithole USA, petty ass fights amongst “players” and what they say and wear to post game media obligations should make this one memorable season. NBA rocks. I mean Bricks.