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Kevin Durant isn’t worried about logging extra minutes for the Brooklyn Nets this season. Durant played 41 minutes as the Nets edged their local neighbor, the New York Knicks, 112-110 on Tuesday (November 30).
The 33-year-old had 27 points, five rebounds and nine assists as he helped the Brooklyn Nets win their 15th game of the season in front of their fans at the Barclays Center.
Durant is averaging 35.8 mpg this season, the most minutes he has averaged in the league since his 2015-16 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The veteran averaged only 33.1 mpg in the 35 appearances he made for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2020-21 regular season.
Explaining his increased workload for the Nets following the victory against the Knicks, Durant replied:
“I’m a basketball player. I enjoy to play. I want to play 48 minutes. That’s just what it is. I don’t even know if a lot of people are concerned or not. That’s just a conversation to have like, ‘I’m playing more minutes, I’m coming off an injury,’ and all this other stuff. But I like to play.”
The Brooklyn Nets star added:
“If I can convince coach to play me the whole second half sometimes or put me in earlier in quarters, I’m going to do it every game. It don’t matter. My basketball life isn’t very long. I want to get the most out of it… for the rest of the season, I'm going to try to sneak some of those 40+ minute games in ‘cause s**t, I like being out there.’”
Durant erupts for 21 points for the Brooklyn Nets in the second half versus the Knicks
Kevin Durant got off to a slow start in the game against the New York Knicks. Durant had just six points and was two-of-nine as the Brooklyn Nets headed to the locker room, with the score reading 61-60 in their favor at half-time.
But coming out after the half, there was no stopping Durant as he scored 21 of the Nets’ 49 second-half points, to give his team a two-point win. Commenting on the different defenses thrown at him by opposing coach Tom Thibodeau throughout the game, Durant replied:
“I think every great scorer in this league has seen different schemes being thrown at them, especially when you've played deep in the playoffs like I have. I’m still figuring out the balance of shooting over some of that stuff and making the correct play… That’s the beauty of the game and that’s why I still feel like I'm a student.”
Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets will host the Minnesota Timberwolves in their next regular-season contest on Friday (December 3).
Guess the Lakers players!
