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NBA and Brooklyn Nets superstar James Harden was asked in his post-match press conference about superstar teammate Kevin Durant. The latter picked up a knee injury against the New Orleans Pelicans after a resounding 120-105 win.
Harden told reporters he had not yet spoken with Durant in great detail. He said:
"I spoke to him at halftime, said somebody kinda ran into him. No, I was just lifting weights so I haven't spoken to him yet. I'll call him."
Harden continued:
"I think he gets an MRI tomorrow so we'll see what happens. But hopefully its not bad at all."
Is Kevin Durant the frontrunner for the MVP?
Widely considered to be the best player in the game right now, Kevin Durant is having an incredible season thus far for the Nets. Durant's injury came at the worst possible time as the Nets gathered steam. Kyrie Irving's timely return to the lineup will help the team as they try and re-establish chemistry on the court.
The Slim Reaper is currently averaging 29.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting the ball higher than 37% from beyond the arc and 52% from the field. He has recorded two triple-doubles this season and 11 double-doubles. The sheer fact that this is the least efficient he has shot from the perimeter over the last decade barring the 2018-19 season is a testament to Durant's marksmanship.
Historically, the team's record has played a pivotal role in deciding the regular season MVP. Durant has that in his favor, as the Nets currently sit second in the Eastern Conference standings and only half a game behind leaders the Chicago Bulls.
KD held the fort for the Brooklyn-based franchise without the service of Kyrie Irving and James Harden, who had fitness issues early on in the season. On top of all that, Durant suffered a catastrophic Achilles injury during the 2019 NBA Finals, which saw him be sidelined for more than a year.
Kevin Durant's competitors for the MVP award include the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry and Nikola Jokić. Barring Jokić, the other contenders have had spells during the season where they haven't performed to their standards. That gives Durant the edge as he has been a pillar of consistency for the Nets thus far.
With all that said, we are only in January and there is a long way to go before the regular season ends. Kevin Durant continues to do what Kevin Durant does and, as important as the MVP award is to him, the ultimate goal is to bring a championship to Brooklyn.
Guess the Lakers players!
