“We’re a great measuring stick for the Phoenix Suns as well”: Kevin Durant sassily replies to a reporter after Nets beat Chris Paul and co

Kevin Durant says the Brooklyn Nets are a measuring stick for the Phoenix Suns in their efforts to test the legitimacy of their contention. 

When the Phoenix Suns pulled the trigger on the trade for Chris Paul this past offseason, no one anticipated that the ‘bright future Suns’ as Kevin O’Connor likes to put it, become the ‘bright-now Suns’ in merely a season’s worth of time.  

With less than 15 games left in the regular season, it looking like the Suns will firmly cement their place as the 2nd seed out West. Though this is an incredible feat, the Suns face a bevy of doubters as this will be the first time most of the players that comprise this young core have journeyed into the Playoffs. With little to no postseason experience on this roster, it’s difficult to bet all your chips on Phoenix. 

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Phoenix had lost a close game at home against the Nets without KD and Kyrie. With these two in and Harden out for this game, the Suns wanted to make a statement this time.

Kevin Durant called the Nets a great measuring stick for the Suns

In Kevin Durant’s return from yet another injury, the 2x Finals MVP dropped a light 33 points off the bench while Kyrie Irving had 34 to lead the Nets to a comfortable win over Devin Booker and co, with James Harden still sidelined for the foreseeable future. 

Following the game, Kevin Durant was asked if this win over the Suns was a good enough measuring stick to test whether the Nets could hang with the big dogs out West, to which KD replied, “I think they look at us as a measuring stick too.” 

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The Suns most certainly should not hang their hopes for a deep Playoff run onto a loss against a team with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on it. The Suns have had several impressive wins over this past season, taking down teams like the Utah Jazz and the Philadelphia 76ers. 

The Brooklyn Nets on the other hand, proved that even without their 3rd superstar in James Harden, they could take care of business against the best of the best.

This is important as it shows the Nets front office that in the event of a superstar being sidelined for a Playoff game or even a whole series, the other two can step up to the plate carry them home for the most part.