Kevin Durant owns the Knicks, and he enjoys it.
The previous MVP hasn’t misplaced to the Knicks in 9 years, a stretch spanning three groups that continued with Wednesday’s 110-98 Nets’ victory at MSG.
Informed of his spectacular streak, Durant, a devoted social media consumer, pumped each fists.
“I acquired one thing to speak about on Twitter now,” he mentioned after dropping 32 factors in 42 minutes.
Durant, in fact, turned the enemy of Knicks followers after spurning the staff in 2019 free company to affix the crosstown rival. He has since learn offended tweets concerning the resolution, which has changed into a supply of leisure.
“We all know how a lot Knicks followers don’t like us,” Durant mentioned. “Particularly now this period, with us not selecting the Knicks, me and Kyrie (Irving). It undoubtedly provides one thing to the rivalry regardless of who's on the staff. You realize, I feel it would all the time be like that within the metropolis. It’s good to be part of this. It’s a enjoyable rivalry. Hopefully it continues to construct.
“If we get increasingly more animosity between the fan bases, it’s solely good for the sport.”
The Knicks devoted two years to their pursuit of Durant, even buying and selling former franchise face Kristaps Porzingis to clear sufficient cap area. When it turned clear Durant was heading to Brooklyn as an alternative, a report surfaced that proprietor James Dolan was hesitant to supply the max due to the previous MVP’s torn Achilles.
Durant was requested about that for the primary time Wednesday.
“I don’t know the way true that's. You heard rumors. Sources. I don’t know the place these come from,” he mentioned. “So I take that with a grain of salt. I didn’t imagine it.”
Because the resolution, Durant is 7-0 in opposition to the Knicks. The Nets haven’t misplaced to their rival since earlier than pandemic.
“I imply think about the tweets I’ve been getting since I made a decision to return to the Nets,” Durant mentioned. “Knicks followers are nonetheless pissed off. Little jabs right here and there. Like I mentioned, there’s all the time love within the streets after I see the Knicks followers. At all times love on the video games. It’s rivalry to be part of.”
Irving, who scored 24 factors Wednesday in his first sport at MSG since signing with the Nets, mentioned he’s purposefully obscure when discussing his resolution to decide on the Nets over the Knicks — “I throw darts within the air and simply look forward to folks to imagine no matter they need,” he mentioned — however acknowledged Dolan’s staff had a shot.
“That they had probability of getting us again in free company, however we simply felt like we wished to construct right here and simply make our mark on this franchise,” Irving mentioned. “I don’t assume we remorse our resolution. And we simply wish to dwell with actually leaning on one another and ensuring that is profitable for us.”
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