Sunday's preseason game against the Washington Wizards marked Kevin Durant's first game back from injury. Tons of players and fans expressed their joy in seeing the Brooklyn Nets star back on the floor after so long. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers joined the fun, too, as he expressed his excitement to see Durant back playing the sport he loves.

In Durant's first NBA game after more than a year, he chipped in 15 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 24 minutes of action. Two of his points came by way of a dunk to start off the game.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nets Nation (@netsnationcp)

Durant and James are considered two of the best players in the game. They've faced each other thrice in the NBA Finals. The first one was in 2012 when James was with the Miami Heat while Durant was with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The second and third times came in 2017 and 2018. James was with the Cleveland Cavaliers while Durant was with the Golden State Warriors.

While some have compared the two, tagging them as bitter rivals, James' post shows how close he is with Durant. The two stars have even trained together in the offseason several times.

Analysts believe that Durant's return has turned the Nets into instant championship contenders this season. While this is a matter of wait-and-see, it would be interesting to find out how the Nets will fare this season. If ever they do make it to the NBA Finals, will fans see another James vs Durant duel?