Kevin Durant says Nets’ first run with Big 3 ‘felt perfect’ despite loss

Kevin Durant was optimistic about the Brooklyn Nets’ first game with their new Big 3.

On Wednesday, the Brooklyn Nets‘ new Big 3 assembled for their highly anticipated debut … and lost.

Sure, it took two overtimes and a career-high 42 points (including 20 straight in the extra periods) from Collin Sexton to defeat the Nets, but a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers probably wasn’t what this Eastern Conference contender had in mind for its first game with Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving on the court together.

Even so, KD is still plenty optimistic about their first game with the Big 3 active.

“It felt right. It felt perfect. It felt like we belong together,” he told reporters via Zoom after the game. “It felt like this journey together is going to be fun. Tough first start … it was an up and down game for us. But I like where we are.”

Kevin Durant isn’t letting the final result deter his optimism over the Nets

Look at that quote again. Up until the “up and down game part,” it’s hard to tell if that’s coming from an NBA superstar talking about a basketball game or a contestant on The Bachelor describing a one-on-one date!

In any case, Durant clearly isn’t letting the final result of Wednesday’s game bring him down. He’s got his old Oklahoma City Thunder teammate back in Harden, who has since blossomed into a perennial MVP candidate in his own right. Irving is back on the floor after missing the last seven games due to personal reasons, and he dropped 37 points in his return.

Sure, Brooklyn got torched by Sexton, but Irving finally got his Cleveland tribute video in his first game back in The Land since he left, Harden is loving life now that he got his trade wish, and KD is fully healthy after missing all of last season with an Achilles tear. Life is good for the Nets, and the future is bright now that this Big 3 has assembled.