Slowly but surely, Kevin Durant of the Nets is recapturing the form that made him one of the best players in the NBA before going down with an injury more than a year ago.
But the Brooklyn Nets forward said that even though he has played well in his return, he can still get better.
Speaking after the Nets’ 113-89 victory over the Boston Celtics in their second preseason game, Durant said he is still not yet at 100%, per Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News.
“I was out for 18 months not playing an NBA game, not playing against that physicality, the speed of the game,” Durant said. “So it’s gonna take me some time to get my feet up under me, get my legs right.”
Against the Celtics, which was missing All Star point guard Kemba Walker, the two-time champion and Finals MVP finished with 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting while adding six rebounds, two assists, and three blocks in 27 minutes. But more importantly, he looked like the Durant of old, scoring with relative ease and making an impact on both ends as he and Nets teammates Kyrie Irving, Caris LeVert, and Joe Harris all finished in double figures against Boston.
Article Continues BelowNets head coach Steve Nash, meanwhile, said that even though Durant may not yet be at 100%, he’s close to it as the start of a new season approaches.
Steve Nash on what percent Kevin Durant is now entering the regular season: “It’s tough but he’s in the 90s, whether it’s 90, or 99, I don’t know.”
Says it’s tough to judge where he is before the team plays regular season games.
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) December 20, 2020
On December 13, Durant played for the Nets, marking the first time on an NBA court since suffering a ruptured Achilles in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, back when he was playing for the Golden State Warriors. In his first NBA game in 552 days, he finished with 15 points and helped Brooklyn defeat the Washington Wizards, 119-114.
Against the Celtics, he was even better, and looks ready when the Nets begin their regular season on December 22 against the Warriors.