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Jay Williams praised Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving during Tuesday’s episode of “KJM” on NBA on ESPN. Williams gave his opinion on his top NBA duos going into this year's playoffs.
Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant most lethal duo heading into playoffs
Jay Williams said Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets are:
“The most skilled duo in the history of basketball.”
Durant has been playing amazing basketball this season, averaging 29.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. Irving was just recently cleared to play in Brooklyn. In 22 appearances this season, Irving has averaged 27.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg and 5.7 apg. That means that Kyrie and KD are averaging 56.6 ppg together.
Williams said:
“I’m not saying that is the best duo. I am not saying that’s the duo that equates to the most championships. Hear the operative word, people, before you wanna start debating me. Skilled, skilled, shooting, passing, dribbling, whatever you need, they got it in their bag. They are the most lethal, dynamic duo there is heading into the playoffs."
The Brooklyn Nets (39-36) are eighth in the Eastern Conference. The team suffered a 3-17 swoon triggered after Durant suffered a knee injury but is 7-3 in its past 10 games.
Durant kept the ship afloat. With Irving’s vaccination situation and James Harden leaving the team, Brooklyn ended up with some unplanned turbulence. Luckily for coach Steve Nash, Durant has kept his squad in playoff contention.
Now that Irving has returned, the tides are assumed to turn in Brooklyn’s favor.
Of course, legendary duos like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen or Shaq O'Neal and Kobe Bryant come to mind. But Williams said he simply means that Durant and Irving are objectively the most skilled players. That's just to say that their basketball arsenals are more complete.
Both KD and Kyrie are each their own full entity on the court and can do it all. Shaq notably could not shoot, and there were things Jordan could do that Pippen could not.
Kyrie and KD are simply more complete packages themselves. So, placing their skills together as a duo makes them arguably “the most lethal, dynamic duo there is heading into the playoffs.”
Brooklyn hosts the Detroit Pistons (20-55) on Tuesday night and has seven games remaining this season.
