Kevin Durant says it has been “camaraderie” within the Brooklyn Nets that helped put a difficult week behind them with a 98-94 comeback win over the Charlotte Hornets.
The small forward posted 27 points and helped his side erase a double-digit gap to earn back-to-back triumphs after victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday.
Amid a seven-day stretch that saw Kyrie Irving suspended after initially refusing to apologise for promoting a movie and book with anti-Semitic overtones, and with head coach Steve Nash also dismissed, the going has been tough for the Nets.
Speaking after his side moved their record to 4-6 for the season, Durant reflected on what has been a strange period, but credited the team’s resolve to keep the focus on their game as key to their revival.
“It was a unique experience for sure,” he stated. “But a lot of guys been through different things in this league before, and a lot of guys have been through some adversity in this league off the court
“Having to lock back in and focus solely on the game, I think that we all get a little bit of solace in doing that.
“[It’s] just playing the game of basketball, getting that camaraderie, that fellowship with your teammates, I think that was able to get us through.
“I just think we rallied around each other. It was a tough week for us. And it’s always good to just get back to the game. Once the ball is tipped, [it all] goes out the window.
“I think everybody was just waiting to get back to playing. It’s good for our character, it’s good for the energy of the team and to fight through adversity.”