The Brooklyn Nets took care of business in Game 1 today, beating the Boston Celtics by 11 points. But the victory didn’t come without some added stress, as one particular fall by Kevin Durant had the entire fan base worried sick.
Here’s the play, which saw Durant land awkwardly on the floor.
Kevin Durant took a hard fall after Marcus Smart took a charge in front of him.
KD is still in the game. pic.twitter.com/fdQHrHFgjl
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 23, 2021
The way his arms were situated, it just didn’t look right, and it had NBA Twitter holding its breath.
I’m glad Kevin Durant’s okay after that fall🙏 pic.twitter.com/ZD3N0qHRJ5
— SportsComet (@SportComet) May 23, 2021
Nets fans watching Kevin Durant fall like: pic.twitter.com/0vMrAi1rmu
— Dustin Brewer (@dstnbrwr) May 23, 2021
Nah that Kevin Durant fall was fucking scary bro he can’t be doing shit like that
— William D. Hendrix (@SpecificNY) May 23, 2021
https://twitter.com/SnellSZN/status/1396273018565971973
Idk how Kevin Durant just got up after that scary fall, which looked like a broken arm or something, but I’m glad he’s ok 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/vmXkz2Gyub
— CarlosStory (@CarlosxcStory) May 23, 2021
Kevin Durant's fall turning into one of those origin stories where the hero is in some crazy accident and then somehow it gives him super powers
— Locked on Nets (@LockedOnNets) May 23, 2021
I have no idea how Kevin Durant just simply got up from that fall without flinching
— John Karalis 🇬🇷 (@John_Karalis) May 23, 2021
That Kevin Durant fall could’ve been bad for a myriad of reasons
— Bryce Hayes (@nxtprodigy) May 23, 2021
Jesus. I just had Bogut memories with that Durant fall. Just not what you want to see. Scary moment.
— Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) May 23, 2021
Fortunately, Durant was (somehow) perfectly fine after the fall, and he got up and torched the Celtics for the rest of the game.
But it is a reminder that, for even the NBA’s most stacked team, they’re just one injury away from heartbreak. Without Durant, the odds of Brooklyn winning the title would be much smaller, especially with so many other worthy competitors.
Good thing for them, he’s okay and the team is fully healthy and together for the first time in a while.
It will be interesting to see how the Nets adjust to their first game, and how Durant, Irving, and Harden will learn to grow and adapt to each other’s game. With only a handful of games having been played with all three together, it is still new territory for them to be sharing the court.
The hope for them is that their talent alone will be enough to offset that stumbling block.
