Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn hailed Kevin Durant’s season-high 45-point performance in the 109-102 victory over the Orlando Magic as “huge”.
The forward carried his workforce on Monday evening, scoring 19 of 24 from the subject, seven rebounds and 5 assists – all of which didn’t go unnoticed.
“He just keeps going,” Vaughn mentioned. “At this stage of his career, I mean the minutes he played, what he did last night to lead us into a win is huge. I think it shows the preparation that he puts into his body, what he feels about the game. He approaches it like we have to win this game.”
Nets capturing guard Kyrie Irving had comparable ideas to his coach: “(Kevin’s) bailed us out a lot of times on possession, when he’s got it going like…we want to let him work”.
Durant himself puts it right down to mentality, stating “if my mind is in the right place coming into the game, I feel like that’s when I have solid games”.
Durant’s numbers against the Magic got here just one evening after scoring 31 factors on a 12-for-20 against the Portland Trailblazers. The Nets will hope that their star play can prolong that good type once they face the Magic once more in two days’ time.
More distress for Magic
Their opponents will not be so eager. Indeed, the Magic’s defensive frailties have been simple to use this season. Just two nights in the past, they misplaced to a Philadelphia workforce that was enjoying with out Joel Embiid, James Harden and Tyrese Maxey.
Even with out the 76ers’ star quartet, the Magic had been nonetheless being minimize open, crushed to the paint, and in alarming frequency, turning over possession and squandering factors all too simply,
Though they’ve been capable of reply in assault when wanted by Franz Wagner, who chipped in 21 for the Magic, and Bol Bol, Steve Clifford’s workforce have been unable to outscore opposing groups – particularly with their primary draft choose, Paulo Banchero, nonetheless recovering from a left ankle harm.
“It’s tough playing against a team, a player like that” Wagner commented on his facet’s type “it does make you a better player, but it’s tough”.
With Banchero’s return being intently monitored, the Magic could also be pressured to look to their bench and relaxation key gamers in an try and result in extra optimistic outcomes.
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