"The narrative in a lot of folks eyes is that you left Steph to join HIM" - Stephen A. Smith claps back at Kevin Durant after the latter called him out on Twitter for questioning his legacy

The Kevin Durant-Stephen A. Smith soap opera is scorching hot.

The veteran sports analyst started it all when he predicted what KD’s legacy would look like if he fails to win a championship for the Brooklyn Nets. Smith declared that Durant will only be remembered for leaving Steph Curry to play with Kyrie Irving if he doesn't win the NBA title this season.

The Brooklyn Nets’ franchise player took exception to the ESPN sports show host’s analysis and called Stephen A. Smith “a flat out hater.” The two previously had a public spat, which meant that Smith would not back down.

The combative veteran basketball analyst had this to say to Durant:

“And with all that stuff that’s gone w/ KYRIE, if y’all don’t win but Steph does, the narrative in a lot of folks eyes is that you left Steph to join HIM (in Brooklyn). Period.”

Kevin Durant sensationally left the Warriors after the 2019 NBA Finals, where he tore his Achilles tendon. He engineered to form a super team with good friend Kyrie Irving, with James Harden eventually joining them. However, things have not gone as planned due to injuries and Irving’s vaccine stance.

The Brooklyn Nets recently lost their eighth straight game, a 124-104 defeat against the Denver Nuggets, as Durant recovers from a knee injury. Harden has also been dealing with hamstring and hand issues while Irving is only available for road games. With the drama and uncertainty surrounding the team, KD’s best-laid plans could easily fall apart.

Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors are only going to get stronger. They have the second-best record in the NBA and are still waiting for Draymond Green and James Wiseman to return. The Warriors have also managed to turn Andrew Wiggins into an All-Star starter and also have Klay Thompson fit and firing.

A Nets-Warriors NBA Finals series remains very much possible as there’s still plenty of time between today and the postseason. Although the Nets are reeling, they can certainly turn it around, especially if Kevin Durant is healthy. It would also be fitting for KD to settle this dispute by defeating the team he left to win the title.

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Will Kevin Durant be able to lead the Brooklyn Nets to the playoffs?

Kevin Durant's greatness has shone through amid the Brooklyn Net's drama-filled season. [Photo: NetsDaily]

The Brooklyn Nets held the top spot in the East for some time despite the absence of Kyrie Irving and the sub-par campaign of James Harden. At one point, KD led a depleted lineup of role players and G-League recruits to keep the team afloat while teammates were under virus protocols.

Brooklyn’s recent struggles without the two-time Finals MVP have only highlighted how much they have relied on his brilliance to mask the team’s deficiencies. The Nets are only 3-10 in their last 13 games without Durant.

They are in the midst of a season-worst eight-game losing streak and are showing little signs of getting out of the slump. With only Irving leading the charge against reigning MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, the Nets were simply thrashed.

Kevin Durant’s initial time frame for a return was 4-6 weeks. However, his absence will likely extend beyond that as he has not been involved in basketball activities yet.

The Nets are currently seventh in the East. If their free-fall continues while waiting for Durant and Harden to get healthy, they should still be a shoo-in for the play-in tournament.

Despite the gloom, no one will count out the Brooklyn Nets as long as the former is healthy. If anybody can turn this team's form around and carry them into the playoffs, it's KD.