The Brooklyn Nets are going to have to navigate life without superstar Kevin Durant for at least one month. Durant suffered a knee injury and he missed only his second game of the season on Thursday against the Boston Celtics. His absence will be tough for the Nets to deal with, but Kyrie Irving is confident that they will be able to weather the storm.
"I don't think we're gonna struggle without Kevin [Durant] out. That's not my belief. I know guys in the locker room don't believe that and this isn't last year at all. The comparison just gotta stop."
— Kyrie Irving#NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/9YIKMehiNb
— 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧' 𝐍𝐁𝐀 (@_Talkin_NBA) January 16, 2023
“Invite the growth that can happen here. Guys can definitely fill in some shoes, play some different roles, and it gives us a chance to really grow as individuals,” Kyrie Irving said. “Some guys have been in this position, some guys have not. It was all glory, glory last week when we were winning game after game and now we're answering questions about potentially struggling.”
With Kevin Durant in the lineup, the Nets had shaken off their poor start and were playing some of the best basketball in the NBA. They had recently gone on a 12 game win streak and they had won 14 of their last 15 games. But with Durant sidelined, the Nets have dropped two straight games against the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder.
It will be up to Irving to help steer the ship and keep things afloat under Durant can return. Coming into Sunday's game against the Thunder, Irving was averaging 26.0 points per game, 4.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from the three-point line. The Nets are currently 27-15 and in second place in the Eastern Conference standings.
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