After missing 23 games straight, Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant returned to the hardwood on Wednesday versus the New Orleans Pelicans. Durant, who came off the bench on Wednesday, knocked down his first bucket in the most KD way possible—an unguardable midrange jumper. 

This is a good sign for Durant and Nets fans who certainly missed their superstar for two months. And what’s even better is Durant did not look like he missed a beat at all. An advantage to nursing his hamstring injury is getting enough rest which could allow him to potentially enter the last leg of the regular season as fresh as possible. The best part? The Nets are currently on top of the Eastern Conference standings despite missing their superstar. Oh, the luxury of having James Harden and Kyrie Irving by your side. 

Before going down, Durant averaged 29.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game. He was predicted to win the MVP this season by a number of analysts but the two-time NBA champion had to manage his injury. Durant is indeed coming off one of the worst injuries in sports, so managing his workload was the best-case scenario, at least in this tight NBA season. 

Moreover, Durant has only played with Irving and Harden together for only seven games this season. It’s going to be interesting to see if chemistry plays a factor against the Nets moving forward. But for now, it certainly feels great for the Nets to have one of the best players in the game back on the court.