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Kevin Durant Calls Out Montrezl Harrell for Nic Claxton Remark: 'You're Not That Guy'

Adam Wells

Kevin Durant didn't appreciate Philadelphia 76ers backup center Montrezl Harrell dismissing Nic Claxton's importance to the Brooklyn Nets.

On the latest episode of The ETCs Podcast, Durant was upset Harrell refused to acknowledge Claxton is having a good season.

"Come on, Montrezl, you was talking crazy. … You not like that," Durant said (h/t Erik Slater of ClutchPoints). "You're an enforcer as a basketball player, but you're not that guy. Clax is having a good year, come on."

Prior to the Nets-76ers game on Jan. 25, Harrell was asked about how well Claxton has been playing with Durant out of the lineup due to a knee injury.

"I don't know nothing about that, brother," Harrell told reporters during shootaround. "We're talking about a guy who steps up, but at the same time, Kyrie Irving. Same as if Kevin Durant was there, it'd be him too. At the same time, it's good that he's playing well and stuff like that. Cool, but it's not the focal point of our (defense) or what we're trying to take away. We know the head of that engine is through Kyrie. and everything that they've been doing since KD has been out, it's been through Kyrie."

Durant wasn't the only member of the Nets who caught wind of Harrell's comments. Claxton was asked about it shortly before tipoff of Wednesday's game:

Harrell did have four points in 12 minutes, but he hasn't been much of a factor in a limited role for the Sixers this season.

Claxton, on the other hand, continues to provide valuable play for a Nets team that is lacking depth at the center position. He has taken over as the full-time starter this season after playing primarily off the bench in the past three seasons.

Even though Harrell indicated the Sixers weren't worried about Claxton, he lit them up by going 11-of-12 from the field for 25 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

The Nets have played nine games without Kevin Durant since he suffered a sprained MCL on Jan. 8.

Claxton has scored at least 13 points in each of the past eight games and is averaging 18.9 points and 11.1 rebounds per game during this stretch. The 23-year-old leads the NBA in field-goal percentage (74.7), effective field-goal percentage (74.7) and blocks (2.7 per game).

The 76ers did come away with a 137-133 win against the Nets, so things worked out for them. But allowing 133 points to a team that doesn't have Durant does bode well for the Nets' chances if he's healthy and they meet in the postseason.

   

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