Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant returned from a 20-game absence for his Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday and he looked like himself against the Charlotte Hornets.

He started alongside Ayton, Booker, Josh Okogie and Chris Paul. He missed six additional games with the Suns, making it 20 total for him since he suffered an MCL sprain in his right knee in early January. [March 2, 2023] The Suns were +13 when Durant was on the floor. Okogie, at least for Wednesday, got the nod. Durant made his debut a full three weeks after the Suns traded for the superstar on Feb.

In his first half of action, Durant posted 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting (including 2 for 3 from 3-point land), three rebounds, two blocks and an assist over 12 ...

[Gordon Hayward](/nba/players/1755182/gordon-hayward/) toward the baseline, but then falls back to pick up [Mark Williams](/nba/players/3178196/mark-williams/), who tries to get up a quick jump hook thinking Durant isn't in position to defend yet. [It happened Wednesday night in Charlotte](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/kevin-durant-debut-live-score-updates-as-former-nba-mvp-makes-first-start-for-phoenix-suns/live/), and it didn't take long for Durant, who has been sidelined for nearly two months after spraining his MCL on January 8, to remind us all how awesome he is and how awesome he's going to be for the Suns. He was masterful defensively, getting out on the perimeter to contest shooters and sinking down to the protect the paint with the same seamless transitions he showed while in Brooklyn.

Kevin Durant made his long-awaited Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night, scoring 23 points in a road win over the Charlotte Hornets.

“I know my versatility can help me a lot of different areas on both ends of the court,” Durant said. It certainly puts them in the conversation.” “So if you just give Booker the ball, you have to help. “They now have the number one thing that you have to have to win close games in the playoffs – they have two guys who can draw help without the aid of the pick-and-roll,” Clifford said. If you give Kevin the ball, nobody can guard him one-on-one. Durant followed with a block on Hornets rookie center Mark Williams and then knocked down a three-pointer from the left wing as the Suns bolted to a 9-0 lead. “From that standpoint you can use your imagination, just from a scoring standpoint. “He’s more than a generational talent, he’s a historic talent,” Williams said. You feel it in the gym. But the game is the constant thing.” “You feel it at the (team) hotel when people are lined up outside. “I put that on me.”

Fans got what they'd hoped to see in their new superstar: Effortless defense, powerful play-making and a glimmer of championship dreams.

And we hope the energy he brought to the Valley this week continues throughout this season and beyond. Our thought bubble: Seeing KD in a Suns uniform was surreal. He joins a powerhouse starting five that's hungry to secure an NBA title the team has never won.

It marked Durant's first game with the Suns after he was traded from Brooklyn on Feb. 9. · Along with the 23 points, Durant tallied six rebounds and two assists, ...

He hit fade-aways. He hit mid-range. He hit 3s. It was hard to tell he hadn’t played since early January. - It marked Durant’s first game with the Suns after he was traded from Brooklyn on Feb. He got to where he needed to go.

Kevin Durant scored 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting in his Suns debut, helping Phoenix snap the Charlotte Hornets' five-game winning streak with a ...

The 15-year seemed to find his groove from there, knocking down three more mid-range jumpers to push the lead to 12 and finished with nine points in the fourth quarter. [underwent season-ending surgery](https://apnews.com/article/lamelo-ball-hornets-ankle-surgery-3751fc5d5f677e787528d0e01c16cb3d) on Wednesday to repair a fracture in his right ankle. The third-year point guard was injured in Charlotte’s victory Monday night over the Detroit Pistons. We just want you to be yourself and hoop,’ and I think that’s where he’s the most free to be himself.” “I think there’s too many players in the NBA that get too much pressure to lead,” Williams said. He also provided a boost on defense, blocking Hornets rookie center Mark Williams twice in the opening five minutes. And the 34-year-old star fit in rather seamlessly with his new club, also grabbing six rebounds and blocking two shots in 27 minutes. The players do it in spots, but that’s the one thing I told him, I said, ‘I’m not looking for you to lead. picked up the scoring slack with 26 points for Charlotte (20-44), while Terry Rozier added 20 points. “I feel like I fit in pretty well,” Durant said. Durant, acquired in blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. I just have to keep riding it, man.”

Playing in his first game in nearly two months, Durant appeared to mesh seamlessly with the rest of a star-studded Phoenix squad.

It was only Kevin Durant's first game with the Suns but the tantalizing upside of him in the Valley came oozing out of Wednesday's win.

Durant played roughly the first six minutes of each quarter and then sat the rest of the way except for the last three of the game. And that’s what the presence of Durant can do. As a superstar, all the praise and criticism always comes his way first. They’ve never comes close to that level of security when the face of the franchise sits. A lot of that is because of how freaking large Durant is, and when guys like Torrey Craig and T.J. This is not something head coach Monty Williams and his staff have done much with Ayton in the past, but you know what helps with that? Durant switches onto Charlotte center Mark Williams, allowing for Ayton’s expertise with perimeter defense to get a crack while Durant easily handles a finish around the rim. Durant allows the defense in that type of scenario to maintain its structural integrity. Here is one example, Durant screening for Chris Paul in the Booker comes off the stagger on the weakside. Durant expectedly made the right play out of those situations. And not in the way we would talk about Dragan Bender or Josh Jackson flashing five years ago.

The Phoenix Suns officially christened the Kevin Durant era with a victory, picking up a 105-91 win over the Charlotte Hornets in his on-court debut with ...

Based on his usage Wednesday, Phoenix is managing Durant's workload a bit as he shakes off any lingering effects from the MCL injury. In general, it was about as good as the Suns could've hoped to see in Durant's first game. The Suns have the Chicago Bulls on Friday night in their next game.

On Wednesday, a heartwarming video surfaced of Durant exchanging a hug with Mercury star Brittney Griner while she was getting some practice in ahead of the ...

Kevin Durant recorded 23 points (10-15 FG) and six rebounds in 27 minutes played for the Suns as they defeated the Hornets, 105-91. Devin Booker led all scorers ...

Granted that the win came at the expense of just the Charlotte Hornets, the Kevin Durant-infused Phoenix Suns...

It used to be that the Suns’ main trio was Booker, Ayton, and Chris Paul, but the Point God could be more than willing to give that spot to Kevin Durant, who can also adequately replace the void left on defense by Mikal Bridges. His performance versus the Hornets was only a glimpse of what’s to come from him when he gets completely settled in the desert. Durant is capable of scoring more once he gets more familiar with Phoenix’s system and with the tendencies of his talented running mates in Booker and Ayton.

With Devin Booker also cooking and Deandre Ayton putting up an efficient 16 points of his own, KD never had to go into takeover mode. His offense came within ...

The Phoenix Mercury shared a video of Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant and Brittney Griner recently embracing at the Suns and Mercury practice facility.

[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). Her just being back and trying to get back in shape and just loving the game she loves to do. “Just watching her and seeing the reactions on her face. [Deandre Ayton recently said of Griner](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/02/24/her-mind-is-free-deandre-ayton-happy-to-see-brittney-griner-back/69939831007/). [Deandre Ayton happy seeing Brittney Griner back in gym](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/02/24/her-mind-is-free-deandre-ayton-happy-to-see-brittney-griner-back/69939831007/) [NBA Twitter reacts to Kevin Durant's Phoenix Suns debut](https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2023/03/02/kevin-durant-phoenix-suns-debut-reaction-nba-twitter/69962660007/)