“Why is Kevin Durant defending Kyrie Irving so much?” - Kendrick Perkins on the pressure on Kevin Durant to win the title this season after ‘backing his brother’

The mounting pressure on Kevin Durant to win this year's NBA championship was discussed Thursday on ESPN's “First Take.”

Kevin Durant under pressure to win this season after defending Kyrie

Kendrick Perkins explained to Stephen A. Smith why he believes Kevin Durant is under pressure. For Perkins, the relationship between Durant and Kyrie Irving is central to judging the season:

“Why is Kevin Durant defending Kyrie Irving so much?”

However, Smith said Durant's decision to leave the Golden State Warriors' dynasty to build a title team in Brooklyn still burdens the Slim Reaper:

“If you don’t win this year, and Steph Curry does, you’ll be viewed as the guy who left Steph Curry to join Kyrie Irving.”

Durant left the Warriors in 2019 to join the Nets. The reason for the move, which many Golden State players back, was a yelling match between Draymond Green and Durant.

Curry has commented on the moment, saying:

“That moment was probably the one where it's clear that it isn’t a foregone conclusion that he’ll be back next year.”

Irving did not play earlier in the season because he is unvaccinated. With vaccine mandates only allowing him to play part-time, the team chose to shut him down. Since Brooklyn reversed that decision in December, he has played 15 games, averaging 25.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists.

The Brooklyn Nets (32-31) have slid to eighth in the Eastern Conference with Durant sidelined by a knee injury. Once in first place in the East, they have lost four of their past five games after an 11-game losing skid. Last month, the Nets traded James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons.

What was supposed to be an inevitably successful season has turned out to be one filled with mounting troubles.

Before the injury, Durant was in the MVP conversation, averaging 29.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists in 36 games.

Many analysts believe the Nets may still be title favorites if Durant, Simmons (who hasn't played this season) and Irving can build chemistry.

As it was, the success of Brooklyn's previous Big Three – Durant, Irving and Harden – never fully matured. Injuries played a role, and then Harden bolted last month. Harden reportedly grew disenchanted with Irving and the franchise and desired a change, leading to the blockbuster deal for Simmons.

What's interesting, as Perkins highlighted, is Durant’s strict defense of Irving.

KD left Curry and the Warriors to come to Brooklyn, and is now under mounting pressure to prove it was the correct choice. With Kyrie choosing not to get vaccinated, one would assume Durant would be unhappy with the decision as it ultimately affects their season.

Smith argued that Irving is under more pressure than Durant:

“What you gonna do Kyrie? You gonna be there for your brother?”

Durant has been Brooklyn's sole leader this season. Many see him as holding the responsibility of getting the Nets into the postseason.

Smith's argument about Durant is valid. KD left one of the greatest squads in the NBA over the past decade to start a new chapter with Irving. Before the season, it was assumed the two would be unstoppable, but the vaccine mandate and Irving's choice combined to derai that notion.

For Durant to back Irving’s personal decision so much shows a large amount of faith in his friend. Smith said, in turn, that Irving owes that respect back to KD, as he is going to need Irving in full stride to make postseason waves.