Despite Irving scoring 20 points in the final quarter, the Nets still lost 111-115 to the Heat of the East. After this loss, the Nets have come to an 11-game losing streak. The record slipped to 29-27, eighth in the East, and the playoffs were in jeopardy.
Since Durant missed on Jan. 15 with a knee injury, the Nets' form has taken a sharp turn for the worse. As Harden began to make a fuss about missing the game, Irving simply could not lead the team. The team's three new signings – Simmons, Curry Jr. and Drummond Jr. – are yet to play, and the Nets are still facing a shortage of manpower.
At this time, Durant became their most important lifesaver. However, KD will not make a comeback until the end of the All-Star race at the earliest. In an interview today with Mark Stan, a prominent New York Times reporter, asked KD for the latest news on injury recovery, Durant declined to answer the question. Subsequently, Durant said that he was getting better every week, but it was a slow process.
Durant also knows that the team is currently suffering from a downturn. "We know we're in some very, very bad state. We understand that. But with just one win, things change. Durant said.
![There is no one on the inside line at all! What should go is not gone, what should be left is not left, and the Nets may destroy Durant's peak[fig]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAAACAkQBADs=)