Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were named Eastern Conference starters for the 2023 All-Star game Thursday. The star duo recently led the Nets up the East standings during a historic span in which Brooklyn posted an 18-2 record, the best 20-game stretch in franchise history.
This marks Durant's 13th All-Star selection and his 11th as a starter. The former MVP has missed the Nets' last seven games with an MCL sprain after a historically efficient start to the season. Durant is averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists on 55.9 percent shooting, the league's best mark among 46 players attempting 15.5 or more shots per game.
When was the last time a player hit three-straight threes in under a minute?
Incredible heat check from KD to close the 3rd last night. pic.twitter.com/jgE6zc2QaW
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 19, 2022
The 34-year-old was named All-Star game MVP in 2012 and 2019.
Irving will make his eighth All-Star appearance and sixth as a starter. The guard has been among the league's top guards since returning from an eight-game suspension in early November, averaging 26.7 points on 49.4 percent shooting from the field and 40.0 percent from three. Irving's clutch play has carried Brooklyn down the stretch of numerous wins. The New Jersey native is leading the NBA in fourth quarter scoring at 9.2 points per game.
The selection comes amid one of the most productive four-game stretches of Irving's career. During that span, the fourth-year Net is averaging 36.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 8.0 assists on 53.8 percent shooting from the field and 48.6 percent from three. Irving recorded 30-plus points, five-plus rebounds and five-plus assists in three straight games for the first time in his career to open the stretch.
Kyrie Irving went to another planet to snap Brooklyn's four-game losing streak:
48 points (21 in 4Q)
11 rebounds
6 assists
4 steals
18/29 from the field
8/15 from threeOne of the best performances of his Nets career when Brooklyn desperately needed it. pic.twitter.com/KMposUCBl6
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 21, 2023
The 30-year-old now finds himself attempting to prevent another downward spiral with his co-star sidelined. After an 0-4 start to the Durant-less stretch, Irving led Brooklyn to back-to-back wins over Utah and Golden State before a last-second loss at Philadelphia Wednesday.
The Nets announced Tuesday that Durant would be re-evaluated in two weeks. Brooklyn has four games after the next update before the All-Star break. While it is unclear whether the forward will return during that period, Durant made it known Tuesday that he doesn't want to miss out on more memories in his 16th season.
“I want to play tomorrow if I can,” he said. “So, that’s what my sense of urgency is. Obviously, I don’t want to rush anything. I want to make sure I’m 100 percent. But yeah, I want to play.
“I want to be a part of all these events. I missed going back to Golden State, my previous home. So, it’s been three years since I did that. You see all this stuff pass you by, so I want to participate in everything. I know I got to take my time and make sure I do my rehab and get back on the floor.”
The Nets were the only team with two starters in this year's game.
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