Kevin Durant clarifies statement about his teammates: ‘I should’ve explained myself better to Chris Haynes’

Kevin Durant: “I should’ve explained myself better to Chris Haynes, but it wasn’t – it wasn’t like this. That wasn’t my intentions when I was saying it. I was more so saying, look yo, I was trying to protect my teammates from the expectations from …

Kevin Durant: “I should’ve explained myself better to Chris Haynes, but it wasn’t – it wasn’t like this. That wasn’t my intentions when I was saying it. I was more so saying, look yo, I was trying to protect my teammates from the expectations from everybody else. Like yo relax a little bit, let us work this out until everything gets right, but look at how we’re playing right now. [We have] 30 point wins, 40 point wins, and games where we keep the opposing team under 100 points, but then when we lose and give up 150 points to the lakers for one game, everyone, is like ‘oh shit the sky is falling down.’ And its just like yo, do you see the progression of our team and what we doin’ and how guys are steppin’ up and trying to do more? So when they actually end those rows of gettin’ back to “this what we need you here for”, then Edmond gon’ be better, Royce gon’ be better, Clax gon’ be better, I’m gon’ be better, Joe goin -and oh I forgot about Joe. I ain’t say Joe. Joe coming off a whole year not playing and now basically been playing the 3 for us. He been having to guard bigger guys, he been goin down to the rim a little bit, droppin stuff off, and just expanding his game.

Source: reddit

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NBA Math @NBA_Math
Eastern All-Stars, determined by RPR MVP score:
STARTERS
Donovan Mitchell
Dejounte Murray
Jayson Tatum
Kevin Durant
Joel Embiid
BENCH
Trae Young
Tyrese Haliburton
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Jimmy Butler
Jaylen Brown
Kristaps Porzingis
DeMar DeRozan
ALTERNATE
Jalen Brunson pic.twitter.com/FNbPAauKcp11:39 AM

Erik Slater @erikslater_
Ben Simmons continued his breakout with another season-best performance in a win over Memphis. And Kevin Durant said what his new teammate is doing is no surprise.
“I expect this from Ben. So when he plays well, I’m not gonna get excited about it.” clutchpoints.com/nets-news-ben-…10:44 AM
John Hollinger @johnhollinger
ICYMI — check out my piece with our @Alex Schiffer on the Nets’ options with KD, Kyrie and the rest of the roster.
special promo: you can get The Athletic for just a $1/month right now.
theathletic.com/3907397/2022/1…7:31 AM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Asked Durant if he would take Yuta or Steph in a 3-point contest right now. He voted for himself. “Steph’s a God but Yuta’s definitely knocking ’em down right now. ” – 10:06 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
If there was ever a game to make KD see the vision, that was it.
Depleted Memphis team, but the Simmons point/center role surrounded by shooters looked incredible.
And Kyrie didn’t even play well. – 9:32 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
Final: Nets 127, Grizzlies 115
Durant: 26 pts, 7 reb, 7 ast
Simmons: 22 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast
Watanabe: 16 pts, 4/6 from three
Irving: 14 pts, 5/12 shooting
Complete offensive showing in the win. Best Ben Simmons game of the season. Yuta provides the lift again in the 4th. – 9:28 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Final: Nets beat the Grizzlies 127-115. KD kept the 25-point plus streak going. Kyrie Irving returned and Ben Simmons is playing his best basketball of the season. The Nets head down I-95 to Philly where the Sixers face their former point guard on Tuesday. Buy popcorn. – 9:25 PM
Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
KD and Kyrie are done for the night. Nets pull away down the stretch. KD has 26 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Ben Simmons has 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists and Kyrie has 14 points and five rebounds in 26 minutes in his return. – 9:20 PM
Austin Kent @AustinKent
Here’s what I’m here for:
Ben Simmons, 11-for-13 from the field in game Brooklyn holds a commanding late lead in. +19. Hasn’t had to score all quarter. Has KD and Seth as ball handlers while he serves as a second-level playmaking relay man and all is right with the world. pic.twitter.com/VoytTnyQYa9:18 PM
Kevin Chouinard @KLChouinard
The superteam of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Yuta Watanabe has been reunited. – 9:16 PM
Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Kevin Durant becomes the 4th player in NBA history with 25+ in 17 straight games to start the season – 9:12 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
Some loud MVP chants for Kevin Durant. pic.twitter.com/zDgvjXi8Ko9:12 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
From @BKN_NETSPR: Kevin Durant (26 points) has reached the 25-point mark in each of the Nets’ first 17 games this season.
The last player to score 25+ points in each of his team’s first 17+ games of the season was San Francisco’s Rick Barry (25 straight) in the 1966-67 season. – 9:12 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Kevin Durant had scored at least 25 in Brooklyn’s first 17 games. The last player to do so was Rick Barry, who’d hit his first 25 in 1966-67. #Nets9:11 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
MVP chants for KD – 9:11 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
The Nets are finally creating some separation and have taken a 101-93 lead over the Grizzlies at the 10:59 mark in the fourth quarter. All 5 Nets starters have scored in double figures. Ben Simmons (!!!) and Kevin Durant each have 20 points. Kyrie Irving has 12 PTS in 21 MIN. – 8:56 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
Kevin Durant was just fired up after a big Yuta Watanabe transition three.
I’m talking jump off the bench, fist pump, and scream type of fired up. – 8:56 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
End of the third quarter: Nets lead the Grizzlies 96-93. Yuta Watanabe with a fast break layup right before the buzzer. Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons have 20 apiece. Kyrie and Royce each have a dozen. Dillion Brooks is cooking. Can Nets hold on? – 8:51 PM
Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Kevin Durant with a 14-point third quarter to catch Ben Simmons for the team lead with 20 points. Nets up 96-93 on the Grizzlies. – 8:51 PM
Drew Hill @DrewHill_DM
Roddy on Durant is a tough assignment. – 8:48 PM
Nick DePaula @NickDePaula
KD breaks out a new KD 15 at home. 👀 pic.twitter.com/ZG1b40VG5y8:16 PM

Erik Slater @erikslater_
Nets trail the Grizzlies 62-57 at the half.
Durant: 6 pts, 3/8 shooting
Irving: 5 pts, 1/5 shooting
Uncharacteristic inefficient half from 7/11. Ironically, it was Ben Simmons who has been carrying the scoring load. – 8:09 PM
Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Grizzlies 62, Nets 57, halftime. Kevin Durant has only six points after scoring at least 25 in all 16 games so far this season. – 8:08 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kevin Durant just surpassed Draymond Green as the league leader in technical fouls. Durant just picked up his 7th tech complaining about a missed foul call and gesturing toward an official after a made jump shot. Per NBA rules, after tech #16, Durant will be suspended 1 game. – 8:03 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Another technical foul for Kevin Durant, complaining about a clear No-call. – 8:00 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kevin Durant just got T’ed up. Was hitting his hand to show he got fouled coming down the court. Jacque Vaughn now talking to the refs. – 8:00 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
Kevin Durant just picked up another technical. – 8:00 PM
Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Ben Simmons into double figures now in the second quarter. Kevin Durant has only four points. – 7:58 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets second unit is KD, Simmons, Royce, Seth and Markieff right now. – 7:26 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets starters vs. the Grizz: Irving, Harris, Durant, O’Neale and Simmons – 6:49 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
The #Nets starters for tonight’s game vs. the #Grizzlies: Irving – back from an eight-game suspension – Harris, Durant, O’Neale and Simmons. The latter gets the nod at center vs. Steven Adams. – 6:35 PM
Erik Slater @erikslater_
Nets starters for tonight vs. Memphis:
Irving, Harris, Durant, O’Neale and Simmons – 6:30 PM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
“Is there any way Denver…could get Kevin Durant?”
@Frank Isola and @Brian Scalabrine break down what a trade would look like to send KD to the Nuggets pic.twitter.com/r1y2sfRT4m5:47 PM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Kevin Durant doesn’t hold back in a conversation with Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes
@TermineRadio & @Eddie Johnson have some advice for the Nets All-Star forward. pic.twitter.com/pF8Fnp33j01:49 PM

More on this storyline

Kevin Durant: So everybody expanding their game throughout this time, so there’s going to be ups and downs through our team, and I was just [trying to say], ‘don’t expect us to be perfect every night or great every night, because it’s going to be times where we playin’ incredible basketball, and the next game, we might not be be on – we might not be able to hit shit.’ So, that was my whole thing. But I definitely could have worded it better. I wouldn’t put that on anybody but myself. Because I could’ve explained it like this [the first time]. -via reddit / November 21, 2022
Now that is what you call a FAN. It’s not everyday Kevin Durant is asked to sign a forehead 😅 -via Twitter @ClutchPointsApp / November 20, 2022
According to ESPN’s NBA guru Adrian Wojnarowski, whatever the Nets do over the course of the next few weeks or so should have a major effect on KD’s willingness to remain in Brooklyn: “With Kyrie Irving returning on Sunday against Memphis and Brooklyn, I think the clock really starts for this Nets organization about whether they can keep this group together,” Woj said (h/t ClutchPoints on Twitter). “… What the rest of the league is looking at is how long before perhaps Kevin Durant asks out again in Brooklyn.” -via Clutch Points / November 18, 2022