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Kevin Durant: 'Didn't Know Where I Was' from Fatigue in 2021 Game 7 vs. Bucks
April 6, 2022
If it seemed like Kevin Durant was spent by the end of last season's playoff series between the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, there's a good reason for it.
Appearing on The Old Man and the Three podcast (starts at 47:45 mark), Durant said he was "gassed" in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
"It came to a point where like I didn't know where I was one time," he added. "I was running back downcourt, and I was just such in a daze."
Injuries wrecked Brooklyn's roster as the series went on. Kyrie Irving missed the final three games after spraining his ankle in the second quarter of Game 4.
James Harden returned for the final three games in the wake of Irving's injury, but he was limited by a strained hamstring that kept him out for Games 1-3.
The most indelible image from the series was when head coach Steve Nash gave Durant a hug of relief after Game 5 when the two-time NBA Finals MVP put up a triple-double with 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in a 114-108 win to give the Nets a 3-2 series lead.
Durant played more than 40 minutes in each of the final five games against the Bucks. The 33-year-old was on the floor for all 48 minutes in Game 5. He also played all 53 minutes in Brooklyn's 115-111 overtime loss in Game 7.
Even though the Nets came up short, it would be hard to find a player who did more to help their team in a series than Durant did for Brooklyn. He averaged 35.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists in seven games against Milwaukee.
Durant nearly won Game 7 for the Nets in regulation. He made a shot with one second left to play, but the tip of his shoe was touching the three-point line. The jumper tied the score at 109 and sent the game to overtime.
The Bucks held Durant scoreless on six field-goal attempts in overtime as they held on to win and advance en route to winning their first NBA championship since 1971.