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“Kevin Durant, you’ll never emulate LeBron James”: Nets star claps back at critics after dropping 42 on Pacers, praises Alize Johnson for his double-double

Samir Mehdi
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"Kevin Durant, you'll never emulate LeBron James": Nets star claps back at critics after dropping 42 on Pacers, praises Alize Johnson for his double-double

Kevin Durant tweets out a message in appreciation for Alize Johnson after the second rounder dropped 20 points and had 21 rebounds. 

It seems as though the Brooklyn Nets have absolutely no problem whatsoever with what lineup they throw out there on any given night. With Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden continually being in and out of the lineup, the Nets have surrounded them with excellent role players to back up all 3, regardless of which superstar is on the court. 

The Nets have also showed an exemplary talent of finding ‘diamonds in the rough’. Guys like Nicholas Claxton, EuroLeague’s Mike James, and just last night, Alize Johnson, have shown flashes of what they could bring to the table in terms of helping them contend for a bevy of championships. 

Also read: “Kevin Porter Jr is Rockets’ James Harden replacement”: 20-year-old breaks LeBron James record for youngest player to record 50 points and 10 assists in a game

In a game against an extremely shorthanded Indiana Pacers team, Alize Johnson saw his opportunity of receiving an extended amount of minutes, and capitalized on it. He dropped 20 points and grabbed 21 boards in the blowout win over the Pacers, while getting backed by Kevin Durant’s 42 points. 

Alize Johnson has a 20/20 games and Kevin Durant can’t get enough of it. 

Ironically enough, Alize Johnson was drafted by the Pacers in the second round of the 2018 draft. He was however, sent to the G-League soon into his NBA career where he would stay for 3 years, until the Brooklyn Nets came knocking at the door, looking to bring him back up to the NBA. 

This decision by the Nets clearly worked out in their favor as he became just the 3rd player in Nets history to have a 20/20 game off the bench. Kevin Durant, being the vocal leader of the locker room, knew he had to give props to the 25 year old and so took to Twitter to show some love to Johnson.

Also read: “Michael Jordan humbled this Bulls rookie in 1998-99”: NBA GOAT continued to set the gold standard even in retirement

The Brooklyn Nets, having been the first team out East to have clinched a Playoff berth, have shown that they are favorites to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy this season; not just because of the fact that they have 3 superstars, but because they have role players willing to step up and contribute at a high level when need be. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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