Ever since tearing his Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, Kevin Durant has been through a lot of change.
Durant, then with the Golden State Warriors had to watch from the sideline as his team lost in the NBA finals for the first time in his tenure with the team. Then in the following offseason, Durant teamed up with his close friend and fellow superstar Kyrie Irving on the Brooklyn Nets. In an effort to ensure Durant’s health coming off his injury, he would sit out the entire season for the first time in his career.
On Sunday night, Durant would make his return to an NBA court.
The new look Nets began their preseason against the Washington Wizards and Durant did not disappoint. In his first quarter of NBA basketball in 552 days Durant scored 11 points and shot 3-of-3 from the field, starting off by blowing by a defender and finishing with a dunk.
🗣 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, KEVIN DURANT. pic.twitter.com/uCfxFsuhav
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 13, 2020
Durant would finish the game with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting with three rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes of action. After the game Durant gave his own assessment of his play and expressed his excitement to get back on the court, “I felt great in the first half, second half I didn’t focus in enough on the shots that I took… It’s good to just go through this stuff again.”
Durant is clearly relishing every moment of his return and NBA fans should do the same.
When healthy, Durant is easily one of the greatest players in NBA history and is arguably the most versatile scorer of all time, if he gets back to his peak level of play the Nets could be a serious contender to win the 2021 NBA Finals.
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