Friday night's matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks got a bit chippy towards the end. Kevin Durant and Trae Young, the two stars of their respective teams, had a little altercation during the fourth quarter. It was rare for KD to argue with any other player not named Westbrook or Tucker, but here we are.

After the game, the Nets superstar clarified that there was no actual ill will between him and Trae Young. (via Chris Milholen)

Kevin Durant said the exchange between himself and Trae Young was “nothing personal and all competition.”

That makes perfect sense. The Nets and the Hawks were in the middle of a close game into the fourth quarter. In such a heated game, tensions would be running high. Kevin Durant and Trae Young just got caught up with their emotions during the game. The two clearly have a lot of respect for each other.

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As for the game… well, it was basically the Kevin Durant show. Come crunch time, the Nets superstar put it upon himself to carry his team to victory. A clutch block on Young followed by a dagger jumper all but sealed the deal for Brooklyn, as they solidified their spot atop the Eastern Conference with an 18 – 8 record.

Despite doubts about this team playing without Kyrie Irving, the Nets have more or less lived up to their expectations. Can they take this all the way to the Finals and win a ring for their franchise? With Durant playing at an otherworldly level, the answer to that question might just be yes.