Kevin Durant

Durant, in his first game since spraining his MCL Jan. 8, scored 23 points in 27 minutes.

[third in our prospect rankings](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospect-rankings/). However, our Chris Trapasso now has Carter falling to the back half of the first round in [his latest mock draft](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/nfl-mock-draft-2023-jalen-carter-falls-after-being-issued-arrest-warrant-ravens-move-on-from-lamar-jackson/). 15 crash that resulted in two deaths](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/georgia-star-jalen-carter-booked-released-top-nfl-draft-prospect-left-scene-of-fatal-car-crash/). He [did not attend media sessions](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/jalen-carter-returns-to-nfl-combine-a-day-after-his-arrest-top-draft-prospect-facing-misdemeanor-charges/) after receiving the arrest warrant. [clinched the Big 12](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/kansas-clinches-big-12-regular-season-title-no-17-after-tcu-avenges-earlier-loss-to-texas/)after No. [dismissed](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/iowa-state-dismisses-g-caleb-grill-adding-to-cyclones-late-season-woes-ahead-of-2023-ncaa-tournament/)guard Caleb Grill due to "a failure to meet the program's expectations." [LaMelo Ball](/nba/players/3149252/lamelo-ball/)- [less](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/lamelo-ball-injury-update-hornets-star-to-miss-remainder-of-season-with-right-ankle-fracture-per-report/) Hornets. [tore his ACL](https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/zakai-zeigler-injury-tennessee-standout-to-miss-remainder-of-season-after-exiting-arkansas-game/)in Tuesday's win over Arkansas, ending his season. - The first incident was between Morant and the head of security at a Memphis mall. Grill led the Cyclones in 3-point percentage (36.8%) and was third in points per game (9.5). [They already have an air of inevitability](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/its-early-but-this-kevin-durant-led-suns-team-looks-like-its-about-to-get-late-for-others-title-hopes/), opines our Bill Reiter: [Chris Paul](/nba/players/555969/chris-paul/)and DeAndre Ayton to be anything other than a top team.

Beating the Charlotte Hornets 105-91 on the road, Kevin Durant debuted with the Phoenix Suns. The former Brooklyn Nets superstar had 23 points and 6 rebounds. “ ...

[Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.eurohoops.net/basket/los-angeles-lakers/?lang=en&lang=en) on his shoulders for the 123-117 on-the-road win against Oklahoma. 15 31 15 DETROIT 6-4 Killian Hayes added 11 points and 7 assists. The former [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.eurohoops.net/basket/brooklyn-nets/?lang=en&lang=en) superstar had 23 points and 6 rebounds. Goga Bitadze and Moritz Wagner, coming off the bench, had 3 points each. The Greek Freak had 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, shooting 10/14 from the field, 3/4 from three, and 8/10 at the line. “I feel like I fit in pretty well. Everybody out there was trying to make me as comfortable as possible. [CLIPPERS](https://www.eurohoops.net/basket/los-angeles-clippers/?lang=en&lang=en&lang=en) [LAKERS](https://www.eurohoops.net/basket/los-angeles-lakers/?lang=en&lang=en&lang=en)

Playing for the first time as a member of the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night, Durant showed early signs of the potential for the devastating one-two punch ...

– [9:33 PM](https://twitter.com/DuaneRankin/status/1631120413638967296) [Alex Kennedy](https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA)@ [AlexKennedyNBA](https://twitter.com/AlexKennedyNBA) [7:55 PM](https://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee/status/1631095905163067393) [J. [#Suns](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Suns)up 13-12. “I just don’t think it’s necessary.](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/03/01/kevin-durant-phoenix-suns-debut/11377665002/)It’s my job to lead. [@Phoenix Suns](https://twitter.com/Suns)debut! [#Rockets](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rockets)on @RocketsWatch before the Kevin Durant Suns debut kicks off at 6:00pm CT. We just want you to be yourself and hoop,’ and I think that’s where he’s the most free to be himself.” -via [USA Today Sports](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/03/01/kevin-durant-phoenix-suns-debut/11377665002/)/ March 2, 2023 [@Phoenix Suns](https://twitter.com/Suns) [@Eddie Johnson](https://twitter.com/Jumpshot8) [#Suns](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Suns)debut. [#Suns](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Suns)up 15 with 2:37 left in the game. [@YahooSports](https://twitter.com/YahooSports): “I looked up, like what am I gonna do?

Kevin Durant scored 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting in his Suns debut, helping Phoenix snap the Charlotte Hornets' five-game winning streak with a ...

He also provided a boost on defense, blocking Hornets rookie center Mark Williams twice in the opening five minutes. - NBA.

Kevin Durant debuted a new colorway of the Nike KD 15 in his first game with the Phoenix Suns.

Kevin Durant scored 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting in his Suns debut, helping Phoenix snap the Charlotte Hornets' five-game winning streak with a ...

The 15-year seemed to find his groove from there, knocking down three more mid-range jumpers to push the lead to 12 and finished with nine points in the fourth quarter. [underwent season-ending surgery](https://apnews.com/article/lamelo-ball-hornets-ankle-surgery-3751fc5d5f677e787528d0e01c16cb3d) on Wednesday to repair a fracture in his right ankle. We just want you to be yourself and hoop,’ and I think that’s where he’s the most free to be himself.” He also provided a boost on defense, blocking Hornets rookie center Mark Williams twice in the opening five minutes. And the 34-year-old star fit in rather seamlessly with his new club, also grabbing six rebounds and blocking two shots in 27 minutes. Durant, acquired in blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Feb.

Am I used to seeing Kevin Durant in a Phoenix Suns' uniform? No. Will I be any time soon? Probably not. Is it exciting to watch? You bet it is, ...

Entering the first on-court tilt between CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard since the former was traded from the Trail Blazers last season, the Pelicans had lost four in a row, falling all the way down to the 10th spot in the West. managed to hold a large enough lead to hang on for the win, keeping them half a game back from the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Grizzlies have now won three games in a row, though this particularly win snapped an eight-game road skid for Memphis. The Celtics outscored the Cavs 41-26 in the third, helping them take a 96-78 lead as they headed into the final frame, a lead that ended up being large enough to survive a fourth-quarter comeback bid led by Donovan Mitchell (10 points in the fourth, 44 in the game) and Darius Garland (15; 29). (26 points) and Terry Rozier (20) led the way for the Hornets, who are now without LaMelo Ball for the remainder of the season due to a fractured right ankle. And most notably, these Knicks simply seem different from the Knicks of yesteryear, even of last year. But there’s absolutely no denying that the Knicks are on a unique kind of tear, one that the team pulls off every now and again, but this feels different. Additionally, the Knicks are on an offensive run that rivals their best stretches of the season. Heights higher than that of the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. First of all, Jalen Brunson has been on a special sort of run for months — on Wednesday, he dropped a game-high 39 points, also leading a total of six Knicks who finished in double-figures. Led instead by Tyrese Maxey (27 points, four rebounds, and seven assists), James Harden (23-7-5), Tobias Harris (18-6-5), and Paul Reed (16 points and a whopping 14 rebounds), Philly was just fine. And, in accordance with Russillo’s observation, he didn’t look like he had missed even a lick of time.

With Devin Booker also cooking and Deandre Ayton putting up an efficient 16 points of his own, KD never had to go into takeover mode. His offense came within ...

Devin Booker scored 37 points and Deandre Ayton had 16 points and 16 rebounds in the Suns' seventh victory in 10 games. Chris Paul added 11 assists.

The 15-year seemed to find his groove from there, knocking down three more mid-range jumpers to push the lead to 12 and finished with nine points in the fourth quarter. #12 of the Charlotte Hornets guards Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns in the fourth quarter during their game at Spectrum Center on March 01, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. [underwent season-ending surgery](https://apnews.com/article/lamelo-ball-hornets-ankle-surgery-3751fc5d5f677e787528d0e01c16cb3d) on Wednesday to repair a fracture in his right ankle. The third-year point guard was injured in Charlotte’s victory Monday night over the Detroit Pistons. We just want you to be yourself and hoop,’ and I think that’s where he’s the most free to be himself." "I think there’s too many players in the NBA that get too much pressure to lead," Williams said. He also provided a boost on defense, blocking Hornets rookie center Mark Williams twice in the opening five minutes. And the 34-year-old star fit in rather seamlessly with his new club, also grabbing six rebounds and blocking two shots in 27 minutes. picked up the scoring slack with 26 points for Charlotte (20-44), while Terry Rozier added 20 points. "I feel like I fit in pretty well," Durant said. The players do it in spots, but that’s the one thing I told him, I said, ‘I’m not looking for you to lead. [acquired in blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Feb.

Suns forward Kevin Durant reiterated that he doesn't need reaffirmation from some of the game's greats given their "unfair standards".

His failed stint with the Brooklyn Nets and subsequent trade request to the Suns will do nothing to turn his reputation around. It’s not gonna stop me and how I approach the game,” Durant told Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. However, Durant’s career choices and contentious relationship with the media hasn’t particularly helped his reputation among fans, as he stands as one of the most divisive players in the history of the NBA. “I don’t regret nothing. I don’t need no credit from y’all, no credit from [Barkley], no credit from Shaq. I’m not gonna stop doing what I do.

The Phoenix Mercury shared a video of Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant and Brittney Griner recently embracing at the Suns and Mercury practice facility.

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). Her just being back and trying to get back in shape and just loving the game she loves to do. “Just watching her and seeing the reactions on her face. [Deandre Ayton recently said of Griner](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/02/24/her-mind-is-free-deandre-ayton-happy-to-see-brittney-griner-back/69939831007/). [Deandre Ayton happy seeing Brittney Griner back in gym](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/02/24/her-mind-is-free-deandre-ayton-happy-to-see-brittney-griner-back/69939831007/) [NBA Twitter reacts to Kevin Durant's Phoenix Suns debut](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/03/02/kevin-durant-phoenix-suns-debut-reaction-nba-twitter/69962660007/)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — New team, same Kevin Durant. The Durant era in Phoenix got off to solid start Wednesday night with the 13-time NBA All-Star scoring ...

Looking forward to the next game.” But it’s pretty cool to be able to give a guy the ball and he can get to a spot and get off a really good shot.” It certainly puts them in the conversation.” “So if you just give Booker the ball, you have to help. “We scripted a lot in practice but when you get out on the floor it is a totally different deal,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “They now have the number one thing that you have to have to win close games in the playoffs – they have two guys who can draw help without the aid of the pick-and-roll,” Clifford said. “From that standpoint you can use your imagination, just from a scoring standpoint. You feel it in the gym. “He’s more than a generational talent, he’s a historic talent,” Williams said. He was the last of the big three to be traded away by Brooklyn, joining James Harden and Kyrie Irving before him. Durant followed with a block on Hornets rookie center Mark Williams and then knocked down a 3-pointer from the left wing as Phoenix bolted to a 9-0 lead it would never surrender. “I put that on me.”

Say goodbye to the all-bench lineups, Suns fans. As long as Book and KD tell their plan to Monty Williams, that is.

The more we see of those four the rest of the season, the better the Suns offense will run. There’s a reason the Suns are only 17th in the league on offense this year after being 9th in 2021 and 3rd in 2022. Each of Book’s stints occurred late first quarter and late third quarter, but stopped short of making it to the final buzzer of the quarter. If Durant kicks off the beginning of the second and fourth, that’s the bridge the bench units need. Both Durant and Booker average 36 minutes a night, so they can each take a 4-6 minute nightly shift with four benchies to keep the Suns afloat. [Phoenix Suns](https://www.brightsideofthesun.com) won their first game with Kevin Durant in the lineup on Wednesday night.

Most guys take a second to re-integrate into an offense or to heal from an MCL sprain or, y'know, a torn Achilles. Durant just leaps back into his work uniform ...

While Durant and Paul ran pick-and-rolls on one side of the floor, teammates on the weak side didn’t just gawk. With Durant out, Booker ordered takeout, mincing the Hornets for 37 points on 15-of-26 shooting and generating seven assists of his own. On several occasions, Booker ran off of multiple screens and wasn’t even the secondary focal point of the defense in those minutes if Durant was running some action on the other side of the court. Durant is the king of the mid-range in the contemporary NBA. On two separate possessions, Durant reached up to contest Charlotte center Mark Williams and his 7-foot-7 wingspan without Ayton there in support, including one sequence in which Booker leaked out on the fast break, then lobbed a skip pass to Durant on the left wing. There were 18 teams in action Wednesday night and Durant attempted more mid-range jumpers than anyone in The Association. Meanwhile, Durant has grown accustomed to one of the NBA’s most iso-heavy offenses with the Nets. In his new NBA residence, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. En route to a nimble 23 points in 27 minutes, Durant demonstrated how his considerable length and versatility on both sides should give the Suns a knockout punch they’ve been missing. [mid-range scoring point guard](https://www.nba.com/stats/players/shooting?DistanceRange=By+Zone&Season=2020-21) in the league, Booker has become elite from that space between the paint and arc in his own right, therefore the Suns will play those strengths. Thursday night’s debut in a 105-91 victory over the Charlotte Hornets was a testament to Durant’s versatility. [DMX Challenge](https://www.popsugar.com/beauty/What-DMX-Challenge-46519909) and present as many looks as the Suns can with their new wing roaming the floor.

New team, same Kevin Durant. The Durant era in Phoenix got off to solid start Wednesday night with the 13-time NBA All-Star scoring 23 points on 10-of-15 ...

It certainly puts them in the conversation.” But it’s pretty cool to be able to give a guy the ball and he can get to a spot and get off a really good shot.” Looking forward to the next game.” ___ “So if you just give Booker the ball, you have to help. “We scripted a lot in practice but when you get out on the floor it is a totally different deal,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “They now have the number one thing that you have to have to win close games in the playoffs – they have two guys who can draw help without the aid of the pick-and-roll,” Clifford said. You feel it in the gym. “From that standpoint you can use your imagination, just from a scoring standpoint. He was the last of the big three to be traded away by Brooklyn, joining James Harden and Kyrie Irving before him. Durant followed with a block on Hornets rookie center Mark Williams and then knocked down a 3-pointer from the left wing as Phoenix bolted to a 9-0 lead it would never surrender. “You feel it at the (team) hotel when people are lined up outside. “I put that on me.”

The result? A convincing 14-point victory in which the two-time Finals MVP got back to doing what he does best, finishing with 23 points in 27 minutes on tidy ...

and U.K.](https://www.nba.com/watch/league-pass-stream?cid=nba:ilp:partner:affiliate:othaff:display:eg:acq:sub:t-gpm:Global20:global:u-en:) Durant came back just in time for Phoenix's final 20 games of the regular season. Nearly three weeks to the date of the trade that sent him to Phoenix, Durant finally took the floor alongside his new teammates with the Suns in town to visit the Hornets. That Durant showed little signs of rust in his debut — which doubled as a return from an eight-week absence — is an exciting development. Media piled conference rooms and crowded the sidelines to check out what otherwise would have been a routine Wednesday night game. A convincing 14-point victory in which the two-time Finals MVP got back to doing what he does best, finishing with 23 points in 27 minutes on tidy 10-for-15 shooting.

He missed the entirety of the 2019-20 NBA season -- his first with the Nets -- after suffering an Achilles injury in the 2019 Finals as a member of the Warriors ...

[Landry Shamet](/nba/players/2203585/landry-shamet/) and [Jock Landale](/nba/players/2152845/jock-landale/). The Suns are dynamic on paper, but their success hinges entirely on two older players who both have a ton of miles on their odometers and a shared history of injury issues. [NBA](/nba/), though, and even the most talented teams are faced with questions and concerns, and the Suns are no different. [Phoenix Suns](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/PHO/phoenix-suns/) pulled off the shocker of the season when they acquired [Kevin Durant](/nba/players/1231866/kevin-durant/) from the [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/BKN/brooklyn-nets/) prior to the trade deadline. As his career has gone on, the only thing that has really been able to slow Durant is injuries, and they were a theme throughout his tenure in Brooklyn. They [looked pretty darn good](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kevin-durant-debut-former-nba-mvp-shines-in-his-first-start-for-phoenix-suns-vs-hornets/live/) in Durant's debut against the [Charlotte Hornets](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/CHA/charlotte-hornets/).

The Phoenix Mercury captures Brittney Griner and Kevin Durant sharing a hug on the basketball court.

On Wednesday, the Phoenix Mercury posted a video of [Kevin Durant](https://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/kyrie-irving-trade-request-rockets-17762580.php), who was recently traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Phoenix Suns, exchanging a handshake and a hug with Griner as she practiced on the court ahead of the 2023 WNBA season. "All love between BG and KD," wrote the Phoenix Mercury on Twitter [WNBA star Brittney Griner](https://www.chron.com/culture/article/brittney-griner-russia-comic-book-17730579.php) prepares for her triumphant [return to the Phoenix Mercury](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/brittney-griner-wnba-17796341.php), she linked up this week with another basketball superstar in Phoenix ahead of his own debut on his new team.

The “Undisputed" crew gives its first impression of the new-look Suns after Kevin Durant's debut on Wednesday.

[Deandre Ayton](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/deandre-ayton-player) was dominant. They played the Hornets without [LaMelo Ball](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/lamelo-ball-player). [Devin Booker](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/devin-booker-player) looked unbelievable. [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/brooklyn-nets-team) at the [NBA](https://www.foxsports.com/nba) trade deadline on Feb. Later, he hit a 17-footer off a ball fake, drawing a foul to set up a three-point play before knocking down three more mid-range jumpers to push the lead to 12 and finish with nine points in the fourth quarter. "We saw the debut of Kevin Durant, who looks absolutely unbelievable, like we thought he would, like we knew he would [be] considering he's a guy that doesn't need to dominate the basketball in order to be extremely efficient," Sharpe said. … This is the team to beat this year." [Denver](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/denver-nuggets-team) (44-19), [Memphis](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies-team) (38-23) and [Sacramento](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/sacramento-kings-team) (36-25). But you want me to sit here and say that after one game that this is the NBA champ? "All of a sudden, Kevin Durant walks in the door … "Everybody out there was trying to make me as comfortable as possible." "After one game against Charlotte, I'm going to move [the Suns] to the front of the line in the Western Conference," Bayless said.

Kevin Durant played 27 minutes – a few more than he was supposed to – scored 23 points with six rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.