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The Milwaukee Bucks came to town and handled business easily against the Brooklyn Nets, winning 121-109. Kevin Durant was his usual MVP self, but he didn't get the type of help he needed to hold off Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the reigning champs.
Durant finished with 29 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Giannis had 31 points, seven boards and nine assists. The two superstars and MVP candidates certainly showed out. As is so often the case this season, both teams were missing critical pieces Friday. Jrue Holiday was out in health and safety protocols for Milwaukee, while Kyrie Irving was out because he's not eligible to play in Brooklyn due to his vaccination status.
For the Nets, who have now dropped to 10-10 at home, it's their fourth loss in five games. Of course, the only game they won in that stretch was the road tilt versus the Indiana Pacers, when they had you know who in the lineup.
“I’ve had a lot of debuts but nothin comes close to this one,” Irving admitted after his first game of the 2022 season. He finished with 22 points in that one, a game-high 10 in the final frame in a big comeback victory. At one point, the Nets trailed by 17 to Lance Stephenson and the Pacers.
“It just meant a little bit more,” continued the 2016 NBA champion. “Just because at this stage, you know taking off eight months or being out of the game for eight months, and coming back in, there’s so much uncertainty, how many minutes, what’s the flow of the game gonna be like, how are my teammates going to feel…you just don’t have any idea so I went in just an open mindset just to ground myself, be present, and do whatever it takes to win.”
All of this, of course, highlights how much the Nets miss the seven-time All-Star when he's not in the lineup. After the loss to Milwaukee, Kevin Durant talked about his relationship with Irving.
What conversations have they had regarding Irving's part-time status, and has he asked him to get vaccinated?
“Nah, I told him how much- important he is, how much I want him to play every game,” admitted Durant. “But like I said, I'm not allowed to force somebody to get a vaccine, like that's not my thing, so he can play basketball? Like nah, I'm not about to do that.”
It's pretty clear that Durant wishes his teammate was around every game. But it is also relatable he doesn't want to push too hard on this topic.
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“You know, we had conversations about wanting him to be a part of the team,” continued KD, “and conversations about him being here full-time but that's on his time. Whatever decision he wanna make, he gonna make. It's on us to come in here and be professionals no matter what. Handle it and do our jobs, all of us from the owner down to the equipment manager. So whenever he ready, he'll be ready.”
Has Kyrie explained to KD why he isn't getting vaccinated?
“I didn't even ask for an explanation. It ain't my place, I don't think,” Durant said before adding that “when Kryie's ready to make decisions for himself, he will and I trust that.”
"Nah, I told him how important he is, how much I want him to play every game. But like I said, I'm not allowed to force somebody to get a vaccine, like that's not my thing."
-Kevin Durant on Kyrie Irving
— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) January 8, 2022
It's interesting that Durant says “when Kyrie's ready to make decisions” as if maybe there's another one to be made. Perhaps we're reading too much into it. By default, Irving has already made a major decision. He was apparently willing to miss this entire season and whatever money that cost him this year, and in the form of a possible max extension.
For now, the Nets might continue to struggle at home when Irving isn't in the lineup. But they'll be a handful any time the big three is out there.
