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Durant scores 17 in return to action as Nets pummel Pelicans

Jesse D. Garrabrant / National Basketball Association / Getty

Kevin Durant returned to the hardwood against the New Orleans Pelicans and finished with 17 points on 5-of-5 shooting off the bench in the Brooklyn Nets' 139-111 win on Wednesday.

Durant also converted all five free throws and drilled both of his long-range attempts. He rounded out his stat line with seven rebounds, five assists, and one block.

"It felt like I was right at home," Durant told ESPN's Malika Andrews postgame. "Easy adjustment to just get back in the swing of things. Coach drew up a play for me the first time I got in and I was able to score. That kind of relaxed me a bit."

The Nets superstar hadn't played since Feb. 13 and missed Brooklyn's last 23 games with a hamstring strain. Durant's reserve appearance marked the second time in his career he hadn't started a game.

"I was at a cap in minutes and coach (Nash) wanted to see if it's a close game, he wanted to be able to throw me in there in the fourth," Durant added. "He decided to compromise a few minutes earlier in the game and see what happens later on ... it worked out."

Kyrie Irving helped carry the scoring load with 24 points on 50% shooting, while LaMarcus Aldridge had his best game since joining the Nets with 22 points while draining 8-of-12 field goals.

Meanwhile, Zion Williamson's streak of 25 straight games with 20-plus points on 50% shooting or better came to an end after the Pelicans phenom finished with 16 points in the loss. Williamson was tied with Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal for the longest such streak in the shot clock era.

After a tightly contested first quarter, Brooklyn outscored New Orleans 103-78 in the final 36 minutes to pull away for the convincing victory.

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