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The Brooklyn Nets are looking to make a run to salvage their 2021-22 NBA season, and Kevin Durant is ready to put his body on the line.
With James Harden leaving and Kyrie Irving still a part-time player, much of the heavy lifting will be on KD, and the two-time champ is ready for it. The Durant-Irving duo are undoubtedly one of the best offensive units in the league, but Irving will only be available for four of the Nets' remaining 14 games.
There is a lot of work to be done, especially with the Nets currently eighth in the Eastern Conference (35-33). It is all hands on deck for Brooklyn as it hopes to make the playoffs and contend for the title.
Harden's departure will undoubtedly hurt the team. However, they have depth and one of the best defenders in the league, Ben Simmons, who is also incredible in transition. (A date for Simmons' first game this season, however, has not been set.)
After Durant's monster 53-point display against the New York Knicks on Sunday, he was asked about his minutes. That topic had been raised earlier in the season. According to Nets beat reporter Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News, KD is ready to "die out there."
"Kevin Durant doubles down on his willingness to play as many minutes as necessary for the Nets to win with Kyrie Irving out 11 of the next 14 games: 'Let me die out there. I told you already,'" Winfield tweeted.
Durant will be putting his body through a lot these coming weeks as the Nets look to close out the season on a high note. They will be without Kyrie for 10 of their final 14 games, and it will be up to KD to deliver.
Kevin Durant is averaging the fifth-most minutes this season
Although Durant has not played enough games to be listed on the NBA's leaderboards, he is averaging 36.6 minutes, 0.2 more minutes than Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum, who is currently occupying fifth place.
The idea of having three superstars is to make sure the offense keep producing while each takes turns on the bench. Unfortunately for the Nets, that has not worked out well for KD, who is now playing without James Harden and will share the court with Kyrie Irving in only four of their remaining games.
Given how things have turned out for the Nets, KD will likely play more minutes down the stretch this season. The Nets were in freefall during his absence, going on a 3-17 tumble, and it will take a lot to get them back into the playoff spot.
Durant has clearly said he does not mind playing more minutes. In Game 5 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals, he played all 48 minutes and led the Nets to a win over the Milwaukee Bucks. But that kind of performance cannot be expected of him every game.
Guess the Lakers players!
