Kevin Durant feels a sense of convenience.
Durant scored 23 points on 10 of 15 shooting in his Suns launching, assisting Phoenix breeze the Charlotte Hornets’ five-game winning streak with a wire-to-wire 105-91 success on Wednesday night.
Devin Booker scored 37 points and Deandre Ayton had 16 points and 16 rebounds in the Suns’ seventh triumph in 10 videogames. Chris Paul included 11 helps.
Durant, obtained in smashhit trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 9, revealed no remaining impacts from a sprained right knee that kept him out of action for more than 7 weeks. And the 34-year-old star fit in rather perfectly with his brand-new club, likewise getting 6 rebounds and obstructing 2 shots in 27 minutes.
“I feel like I fit in quite well,” Durant stated. “Everybody out there was attempting to make me as comfy as possible. I simply have to keep riding it, guy.”
Durant made 2 3s, a flurry of mid-range jumpers and revealed he still has the burst to get to the hole on a driving left-handed layup for his veryfirst basket with the Suns. He likewise offered a increase on defense, stopping Hornets novice center Mark Williams twotimes in the opening 5 minutes.
Suns coach Monty Williams stated he doesn’t desire Durant fretting about being a group leader, however rather simply playing.
“I think there’s too numerous gamers in the NBA that get too much pressure to lead,” Williams stated. “I simply puton’t believe it’s required. It’s my task to lead. The gamers do it in areas, however that’s the one thing I informed him. I stated, ‘I’m not looking for you to lead. We simply desire you to be yourself and hoop,’ and I believe that’s where he’s the most complimentary to be himself.”
Phoenix (34-29) wentinto the videogame in 4th location in the Western Conference standings, however might be poised for a strong surface with Durant anchoring what has the possible to be an explosive offense.
Durant scored 12 points in the veryfirst half as Phoenix opened a 57-41 lead.
Charlotte cut Phoenix’s lead to 6 goinginto the 4th quarter behind previous Sun Kelly Oubre Jr., who got the start with LaMelo Ball out.
But Durant, who had just played 19 minutes in the veryfirst 3 quarters, returned to the start the 4th quarter and started to take over.
He hit a 17-footer off a ball phony, illustration a nasty to set up a three-point play. The 15-year veteran appeared to discover his groove from there, knocking down 3 more mid-range jumpers to push the lead to 12 and endedup with 9 points in the 4th quarter.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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