Kevin Durant Just Reminded Us That He’s The Greatest Basketball Player On Earth

With the teammates around him dropping like flies, Kevin Durant was more than just special on Tuesday night — he was all-time. 

His team on the verge of collapse, Durant put the city of Brooklyn on his back, dragging the Nets to a game five victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. It was a performance that won’t be forgotten anytime soon, and a reminder that Durant — when healthy — is the most lethal offensive weapon in the game. 

“You know, he’s the best player in the world right now,” Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said. The two-time MVP would know, pouring in 34 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort. 

Behind Durant’s 49 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals, and two blocks — and 48 minutes — the Nets were somehow able to take back the series in a 114-108 thriller on Tuesday, overcoming a 20-point deficit in the process. 

You might want to take another look at that stat line, because there’s a good chance you’ll never see it again. 

KD was on a different level, knocking down an array of mid-range jumpers, contested threes, and difficult layups. With his Nets down 17 in the third quarter, Durant took over, closing the gap to just six at the end of the third. Announcers Marv Albert and Grant Hill were in a constant state of amazement as the historic performance continued to grow, as was Nets head coach Steve Nash. 

“Historic, historic performance,” Nets coach Steve Nash said. “He played the entire game. He barely missed. It’s ridiculous what he’s able to do.”

“We know he’s capable of nights like this but to do it tonight … we lose Ky [Irving], James is soldiering through his ailments, we’re down bodies, we’re wounded. That’s what makes him one of the all-time greats.”

Lost in the shuffle was the amazing effort from James Harden. Out since game one after reaggravating his hamstring injury, Harden was clearly not himself and nowhere near fully healthy. His shooting was abysmal — 1-10 from the field, 0-8 from three — but it didn’t matter. His mere presence on the floor was the boost the Nets needed in order to regain control of the series. His playmaking — eight assists — gave the Nets a badly needed lift offensively and allowed Durant to play off the ball.

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Harden was essentially playing on one leg, and the Bucks knew it. As the game progressed, it was clear to all that we wouldn’t be getting the Harden we’re accustomed to, but his two free throws late in the fourth quarter gave the Nets the lead for good, and put him in New York sports lore for his effort. 

“It’s the playoffs,” Harden said, “and my team needed me. Simple.”

Harden’s performance was admirable, but the evening was still all about Durant. 

It wasn’t very long ago when we weren’t sure if Kevin Durant as we knew him would ever be the same. His torn achilles in game five of the 2019 NBA Finals looked like it could be the beginning of the end of his offensive dominance. Even though he took the entire 2020 season off to recover, we’ve never seen an athlete able to return to peak performance after an injury of that magnitude. But then again, we’ve never seen an athlete quite like Durant. 

He’s a seven-foot guard who can get his shot off whenever he wants. You could see the fear in the Bucks’ eyes as soon as he crossed half-court, with his Nets teammates setting screens at midcourt in order to get him open. 

Durant shut all the haters up on Tuesday night. Anyone who discounted his two rings with the Warriors was made a fool on Tuesday. He did it all on his own, his Nets are officially back in control of their second round series, and another NBA Finals appearance for Durant now seems inevitable. 

There are performances that leave us in disbelief, so floored by the shot making that we’re unable to come up with words to describe them. Durant gave us one of those performances on Tuesday, and it’s one we’ll be remembering for a long time.

Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].

The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

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