Kevin Durant 'felt right at home' in preseason debut
It's only preseason, but Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant's presence was a sight for sore eyes.
Durant scored 15 points and dished out four assists in his preseason debut on Wednesday. The silky jump shot, the two-man game with Russell Westbrook - it was all on display for the 2013-14 MVP during the Thunder's 122-99 romp over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"I felt great," Durant told the The Associated Press after the game. "I think it was a little different. I haven't been in my routine in a while as far as going to shootaround, taking my nap, getting to the game. So all that stuff was different. But once I got on the court, I felt right at home."
Durant played in just 27 games last season due to a nagging foot injury, missing the Thunder's final 28 contests down the stretch. His absence played a significant role in the Thunder's failure to qualify for the postseason.
| Outcome | Healthy Durant | Injured Durant |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 18 | 27 |
| Losses | 9 | 28 |
Billy Donovan also made his debut as the Thunder's newly-hired head coach. Donovan's offensive schemes looked strong, as his Thunder shot 55.6 percent from the floor, including 11-of-22 from deep. Oklahoma City also managed 34 assists on the night, surpassing last year's team high of 31.
With his teammates flourishing, Durant was mostly content to play his part within the offense - a strategy that worked to great effect. The 27-year-old finished as a game-high plus-21 in 22 minutes.
"I don't force things," Durant said. "I just tried to let the game come to me and play as simple as I can."
Serge Ibaka, who underwent season-ending knee surgery in April, scored a team-high 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting and Westbrook came up two rebounds shy of a triple-double, but all eyes were on Durant's surgically-repaired foot.
All he wants, however, is to move past the injuries.
"It seems like years ago," Durant explained after the morning shootaround on Wednesday. "I'm here now. Try not to think about the past. I know I learned a lot from that situation and just trying to move forward and continue to have confidence in myself."