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Durant returns to lineup after nearly two months off
Brooklyn forward Kevin Durant hasn’t played since Saturday, Jan. 15 due to a knee injury that caused him to miss the entire All-Star Weekend.
This week, Durant returned to a Nets’ team that sports a 32-31 overall record, fighting to avoid first-round play-in matchup.
With NBA champion guard Kyrie Irving still participating as a part-time player and all-star guard James Harden being gone from the team as of Feb. 10 via trade with the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s the perfect time for the former two-time Finals MVP to return.
Durant averaged 34 points per game on 55% shooting to go along with six assists per game and five rebounds per game in his first two contests since returning from injury.
However, both of those games were losses for Brooklyn at the hands of Miami and Boston.
The team’s lone win since Durant returned from injury was a win at Charlotte where he posted 14 points on 6-of-13 from the field and seven assists.
Durant did turn the ball over five times against the Hornets. In fact, he is averaging five turnovers per game since returning from his knee injury.
The next outing for Durant and company will be Thursday, March 10 against the Philadelphia 76ers.
It will be the first meeting between the two teams since the blockbuster deal that sent Harden to Philly and all-star guard Ben Simmons to Brooklyn.
LeBron posts highest scoring output since joining Lakers
Sunday, March 6 saw Los Angeles Lakers’ forward LeBron James posted 56 points on 19-of-31 from the floor, marking his highest scoring output since joining the team in 2018.
In addition, it ties his third-highest mark and is his highest point total since putting up 57 points against Washington in November 2017.
James became the fourth-oldest player to score at least 50 points at 37 years and 65 days old. He only sits behind Jamal Crawford (51 points at 39 years and 20 days), Michael Jordan (51 points at 38 years and 315 days) and Kobe Bryant (60 points at 37 years and 234 days).
The historic scoring output came in an eight-point win over the Golden State Warriors, overcoming a 14-point deficit in the process.
The win snaps a four-game losing streak since returning from the all-star break.
Kyrie’s unreal 50-piece
Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving has only played in two games since Saturday, Feb. 26 but he has scored 69 combined points in those two games.
This was highlighted by a 50-point performance in his latest outing.
Irving poured in 50 points in 38 minutes of action of a 132-121 win over the Charlotte Hornets on the road.
It marked the third 50-point game for Irving with the Nets. Eight others have scored 50 points for the franchise but none more than once.
In addition, Irving shot 15-of-19 to score his 50 points including going 9-of-12 from three-point range and 11-of-13 from the free throw line.
According to StatHead, Irving’s night produced the most-efficient 50-point game in NBA history.
By doing so, Irving became the five player in league history with 50 points on 75% shooting joining Hall-of-Famers Wilt Chamberlain (8), Michael Jordan (3), Karl Malone and Adrian Dantley (2).
Dipo Day comes to fruition
The FTX Arena in Miami, Florida greeted nine-year veteran Victor Oladipo with loud cheers and applause as he made his return to the hardwood for the first time since April 2021.
Monday, March 7 was dubbed at #DipoDay.
Oladipo took off awkwardly and landed gingerly on his right knee against the Los Angeles Lakers last season.
Since being acquired from the Houston Rockets in March 2021, Oladipo has only played in four regular season games for the Heat franchise.
He returned to the lineup with 11 points in 15 minutes on 4-of-7 shooting including going 2-for-3 from three-point range.
His first make of the game was a corner three off a swing pass from first-year Miami player Kyle Lowry.
Oladipo helped Miami beat his former team, Houston, 123-106.
In the team’s latest outing, the Heat were beaten, 111-90, by the Phoenix Suns Wednesday, March 9.
Oladipo put up four points in the loss.