The Nets had all kinds of issues this season — Kyrie Irving‘s refusal to get vaccinated, James Harden‘s desire to be traded to Philadelphia, Joe Harris‘ injury — but Kevin Durant believes his knee injury was the biggest reason they nosedived in the standings.
“To be honest, I feel like our season was derailed by my injury,” Durant said to ESPN’s Nick Friedell and other media members. “So, I’m not looking at it like we’re just not a good basketball team. It’s like there wasn’t a lot of continuity with me and Kyrie out of the lineup, that’s just what it is. When we’re all on the floor together, I like what we got.”
The Nets will have to fight their way out of the play-in tournament but Durant isn’t worried about the extra challenges ahead.
“I don’t care who we play. I don’t care that we’re in the play-in. Just tip the ball up, see what happens,” he said. “That’s all you can control. It’s too stressful thinking about we’re trying to dodge a team, lining up, just play the game. We’ll see what happens.”
We have more on the New York teams:
- With Julius Randle shut down for the rest of the season, power forward Feron Hunt could see some action in the remaining Knicks games, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Hunt was signed last month to a two-way contract. In seven games with the G League’s Westchester Knicks, Hunt averaged 16.9 PPG. “We like who he is, so I want to get a chance to see him as well,” coach Tom Thibodeau said.
- The Knicks have won five of their last seven games, which won’t help their chances of winning the draft lottery. RJ Barrett would rather finish the season on a high note than go into tank mode, Steve Popper of Newsday writes. “This helps build momentum, trying to finish out the season strong and carry that momentum into next year,” Barrett said. “Every game is important for us as a team for guys to develop and see who we are and who we’re going to be.”
- When the Knicks hire a replacement for assistant coach Kenny Payne, it will signal whether Thibodeau has regained autonomy over his staff, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News opines. As a condition of getting hired, Thibodeau agreed to take on Payne, Mike Woodson and Johnnie Bryant as his top assistants. One of Thibodeau’s hand-picked assistants, Darren Erman, moved to the front of the bench when Payne left to coach Louisville. If the Knicks add another assistant not associated with Thibodeau, it will signal that team executive William Wesley is once again exerting his influence.
Players don’t tank. Organizations do.
Btw, what is Barrett talking about? Knicks couldn’t carry the “momentum” of a 20 game heater into the playoffs last year – got mopped.
Started this season strong in the first 5 games, then that “momentum” dried up.
Feels like “momentum” comes from not having a roster full of slightly above to below average players.
I get Durant is one of the best, but you have to love the humbleness he brings.
I wonder how Michael Jordan would respond if this was his team in 1996-97…
Sucks that the Nets started the season on the wrong foot. Rather than think about what could’ve been, Steve Nash, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving better figure out what it’s gonna take to secure a spot in these Playoffs because ain’t nothing guaranteed but heartburn if they don’t make it
KD just lays it as it is!
He is the beating heart of his team, the other factors are just what they are, but clearly BRK was on top of the standings when he got injured & at the bottom when he came back…
At the end of the day BRK hasn’t got to worry about any rival in play in or play off, on the other hand I can’t imagine any single team of the 9 others making it wanting to play against BRK!
Nets can still win the title. Hawks and Knicks got exposed as the pretenders we knew they were last year
The ship sailed on the Knicks tanking when they won 8 of 12 games after going 3-17 in the previous 20. They’re going to be saddled with a pick outside of the top ten. Another wasted season.
Playing the young guys is not tanking. After the playoffs are history. It’s called getting ready for next yr. Not like you tell them “ Go out there and lose now”. Plus the young guys have actually been winning.
My biggest beef is Obi and McBride. Those two should be starting wks ago.