Kyrie Irving in awe of Kevin Durant after milestone night

Kyrie Irving isn't taking Kevin Durant's greatness for granted. Durant hit two clutch free throws in the Brooklyn Nets' 124-121 win over the Detroit Pistons. He scored 43 points during the game on 63.6% field goal shooting. Reporters asked Irving if he still is surprised by Durant's play, to which he replied by saying (via Nets Videos):

"I definitely don't take his talent for granted."

Durant has been in stellar form throughout this season. He has averaged 30.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, shooting 56.5% from the field. The former MVP has once again been the most reliable piece for Brooklyn, with off-court controversies continuing to hamper the team.

However, his patience seems to have paid off over the last 15 games for the Nets. They possess a 12-3 record during that stretch. Kevin Durant has certainly been crucial to that turnaround. The Nets look like the contenders everyone thought of them to be before the season started. They rank 4th in the Eastern Conference with a 19-12 record.

Coach Jacque Vaughn also deserves a lot of credit for this. Since taking over from Steve Nash, Vaughn has turned the Nets into a more intense and physical team on both ends of the floor, contributing to their success.

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant combine for 81 points in a comeback win over the Pistons

Brooklyn Nets v Toronto Raptors

Kyrie Irving was just as good as Kevin Durant against the Detroit Pistons, if not more. Although he scored five fewer points, tallying 38 on the night, shooting 56.5% from the field. He was efficient from the 3-point line, making 5-of-10 shots.

Only Royce O'Neal scored in double-digits apart from them, so these performances were vital to Brooklyn's chances of securing the win against Detroit, who led by 19 points at one stage. However, Durant scored 30 points in the second half, and Irving scored 25 during that period to register a successful comeback win.

The Brooklyn Nets seem difficult to stop, with Irving and Durant firing on all cylinders. They've played 14 games apiece during the Nets' recent 12-3 run. During that period, KD has bagged 30.1 points per game on 60.7% field goal shooting, while Irving has tallied 25.7 points on 51.3% shooting.

It seems like this is the first time the Nets' superstars are available and playing to their true potential as leaders on a contending team. Durant has stayed injury free and is playing the most minutes per game (36.7). Meanwhile, Irving has come out with a different focus since his return from suspension due to the antisemitic row.

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