Kevin Durant Talks Nets' 4-Game Losing Skid: Losing Sucks, No Matter Time of Year

Jenna CiccotelliCorrespondent IIMay 7, 2021

DALLAS, TX - MAY 6: Nicolas Claxton #33 and Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets and Willie Cauley-Stein #33 of the Dallas Mavericks look on during the game on May 6, 2021 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant wasn't pleased with his team's performance against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, when his team dropped its fourth consecutive game.

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"Losing sucks, no matter what time of the year it's in, no matter who it's against. Been feeling the same way about losing since I was 8 years old" - Kevin Durant pic.twitter.com/HOgsvdi6Dc

Durant dropped 20 points in the 113-109 loss, though he shot just 7-for-21 from the field and missed all four of his attempts from deep.

Kyrie Irving scored 45 points as the Nets fell to 43-24.

Durant, who entered Thursday averaging 28.3 points per game on 54.6 percent shooting, acknowledged his down performance postgame.

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Kevin Durant said he "tried shots he shouldn't have tried" in his poor shooting performance tonight in Dallas, and thinks this tough losing stretch is beneficial for the Nets:<br><br>"I hope we feel this pain from losing...I like this position for us, I think it's gonna make us better" pic.twitter.com/0PcguSIla3

Still, the star wasn't the only one who struggled on Thursday. Landry Shamet didn't score in his 24 minutes on the floor, missing all five of his shots, and Joe Harris was 2-of-6 from beyond the arc with nine points total.

Despite his season-high scoring night, Irving also acknowledged the team's shortcomings.

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"Throw that one away...it's about us, it's about that win column"<br><br>Kyrie Irving doesn't see the significance of his 45-point performance in a Nets loss pic.twitter.com/lmqGL9dgp5

The Nets are now just half-game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks for second place in the Eastern Conference with five games left to play. Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets figures to be the most difficult of the remaining outings, with two games against the Chicago Bulls and one each against San Antonio and Cleveland still on the schedule.

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The Nets are still without James Harden, who plans to return from his right hamstring strain before the postseason. Things figure to get themselves back together when he makes his return to the hardwood, but until then, the Nets will have to pick it up if they want to avoid dropping down in the standings.