Kevin Durant feels as though the Brooklyn Nets have unfairly garnered negative media attention this season.
The Nets have endured several setbacks just 32 games into their season. Whether it was Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons or Steve Nash, there was plenty of headline-worthy news coming from the Nets. Yet, that doesn’t sit right with Durant.
Before the Nets took the floor Wednesday, Durant vocalized his latest grip with the media. The All-Star offered his belief that the Nets aren’t granted the “grace” other teams across the league are, and he doesn’t feel that circumstances are taken into consideration when the Nets are critiqued.
“I don’t see that standard for other teams,” Durant said, according to Yahoo Sports. “I don’t see the standard for guys who actually didn’t have the circumstances we had, $50 million in salary that wasn’t playing last year.
“We don’t get that grace. But we got to play through everything. With other teams, they get some sort of grace, but I understand we haven’t earned it yet. We gotta work for that.”
Granted, New York — as Durant noted — is among the highest-intensity markets for sports. Yet, the Nets haven’t done themselves any justice. They’re not even a calendar year removed from getting swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
“Is ’embellish’ the right word?” Durant said. “Y’all do that because it’s New York City. Just the media in general in New York City feed the fans and the fans like negative (expletive). They’re used to teams not playing well over the year so they accept the drama.”
Durant, like players of his caliber, are judged by how far they can lead a team. He failed to do so with the Oklahoma City Thunder and played passenger with the Golden State Warriors. The Nets are simply a reintroduction of the legacy hump he’s yet to overcome.
“People don’t like us,” Durant said. “No, they don’t (like me). They don’t like us as a group.”
Odd coming from Durant considering he’s just flat-out wrong. Both the Celtics — due to the Ime Udoka scandal — and the Golden State Warriors — courtesy of Draymond Green — dealt with an abundance of preseason media scrutiny. And rightfully so. Nevertheless, to portray the Nets as some targeted organization above all in the NBA is just disingenuous and petty on Durant’s part.
Second, Durant absolutely ripped his own teammates just a month ago.
“Look at our starting lineup,” Durant told Bleacher Report after the Nets allowed 153 points to the Sacramento Kings. “… You’re expecting us to play well because No. 7 is out there.”
While the commentary was warranted at the time, ranting against an invisible target is laughable. The Nets were assembled to compete for a title the day Durant was signed and they’ve done nothing but raise questions about their contention window.
On Wednesday night, the Nets ran the Warriors — without Stephen Curry — off the floor by winning, 143-113. Durant led the Nets with 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
Brooklyn climbed up to fourth in the Eastern Conference and extended their win streak to seven games. While impressive relative to their subpar start to the year, Brooklyn is simply doing what they’re supposed to do.
