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Nets' Kevin Durant on Struggles in Game 2 vs. Celtics: 'It's on Me' to Figure It out
April 21, 2022
After shooting 31.7 percent from the field across two games, including missing all 10 of his attempts in the second half of Game 2, the pressure is on Kevin Durant to turn things around as the Brooklyn Nets try to dig themselves out of an 0-2 hole against the Boston Celtics.
Speaking to reporters after Wednesday's 114-107 loss, Durant made it clear he has to find a way to play better.
"It's on me to just finish it and figure it out," he said. "I'm not expecting my teammates or the defense to give me anything. I just got to go out there and play."
Per ESPN Stats & Info, Durant's 10 misses in the second half of Game 2 were his most in a single half without a made field goal in his career.
It's perhaps not a surprise that Brooklyn's offense struggled in the second half when Durant went cold. He was 4-of-7 with 15 points in the first half to help the Nets build a 65-55 lead.
Durant was able to score 12 points in the second half by going 12-of-12 from the free-throw line. The Nets were held to just 42 points over the final two quarters by Boston's defense.
According to Durant, Boston's approach has been to throw multiple defenders on him even when he doesn't have the ball in his hands.
"They're playing two, three guys off me sometimes on me when I'm off the ball," he said.
The results have been working for the Celtics thus far. Durant is just 13-of-41 from the field through the first two games of the series. He has shot under 40 percent in three of the past four games dating back to the regular-season finale against the Indiana Pacers.
Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash has also been asking a lot of Durant lately. He has played at least 41 minutes in each of the past six games. The 12-time All-Star hasn't played fewer than 37 minutes in a game since March 26 against the Miami Heat.
Durant and the Nets have two days off to figure things out before Game 3. They will host the Celtics at Barclays Center on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET.