Kevin Durant's Impressive Debut For Phoenix Suns With 23 Points, 6 Rebounds, 2 Assists, And 2 Blocks Against Hornets

Photo: Instagram/Kevin Durant 

Kevin Durant, the former NBA MVP, made a remarkable debut for the Phoenix Suns against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, recording 23 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in his first game since early January.

The Hornets were also in the spotlight for two intriguing storylines; they had won five straight games for the first time this season and announced this week that star guard LaMelo Ball would miss the remainder of the current campaign with a fractured right ankle.

However, the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly Durant's debut.

Photo: Instagram/Kevin Durant 

Durant had been sidelined with a knee injury, but a mid-week, non-nationally televised game against the lottery-bound Hornets provided him with a low-pressure environment to ease back into action, and he didn't appear to have any rust to shake off.

He played a total of 26 minutes, spread out over five separate stints and looked a lot like his usual self.

His presence certainly didn't prevent his teammates from performing well, as Devin Booker led all scorers with 37 points, and DeAndre Ayton posted a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double.

Chris Paul scored just two points, but he dished out a game-high 11 assists, and with Durant and Booker generating open looks for their teammates, the Suns won't need Paul to score as much.

Kelly Oubre Jr. led the way for Charlotte with 26 points and nine rebounds, while Terry Rozier added 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists of his own.

The Hornets' rookie Mark Williams posted 11 points and 10 rebounds in 28 minutes.

Durant will continue to have a minutes restriction for the next few games, according to head coach Monty Williams, but he completely took over the fourth quarter with his jump shot, helping Phoenix keep the Hornets at arm's length in the quarter.

The Suns won the game 105-91, and Durant's efficiency was remarkable as he made 10 of his 14 shots, including two of his four attempts from long range.

The Suns can be confident about Durant's performance and how good they can be as a team moving forward.

Read Next: Memphis Grizzlies Star Ja Morant Accused of Punching Teen In Self-Defense, Agent Denies Gun Allegation

Source: CBS Sports 

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