Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant has been a starter for his entire NBA career. The two-time champion, however, found himself in unfamiliar territory on Wednesday, as he came off the bench in the Nets' 139-111 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at Barclays Center.
Durant, after all, is coming off a 22-game absence due to a strained hamstring. Head coach Steve Nash opted to err on the side of caution and had the one-time league MVP coming off the bench.
While most superstar players would look at this demotion as a sign of disrespect, KD revealed that he didn't mind being a reserve for the first time in his storied career, per The Athletic's Alex Schiffer.
Kevin Durant: “It was pretty cool coming off the bench."
— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) April 8, 2021
The 32-year-old former scoring champ added that he anticipates his minutes will continue to be limited in the coming games, as Nash will likely opt to bring him in slowly.
Kevin Durant expects a few more games of restrictions before going back to his usual workload.
— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) April 8, 2021
Durant, who is logging in 34 minutes per contest in his first season in Brooklyn, suited up for just 19 minutes against the Pelicans. He made the most out of his time, though, shooting an immaculate 5-from-5 from the field for 17 points, seven boards, five assists, and one block.
With KD taking a step back, Kyrie Irving led the Nets with 24 points while new recruit LaMarcus Aldridge added 22 of his own. This just speaks to how stacked the Nets are right now. To have arguably one of the greatest players of all time coming off the bench is indeed a luxury to have.
As far as Durant is concerned, he's all good with being a super-sub for the Nets in the coming games.
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