Kevin Durant scores 15 in return from injury for Thunder

Throw in the debut of Euroleague MVP and exciting do-everything forward Nemanja Bjelica and the return of Kevin Durant, and this is an intriguing matchup for a variety of reasons.

Durant will play in the Thunder’s preseason opener in Minnesota on Wednesday night.

Basketball is back, and the Oklahoma City Thunder played in their first preseason game of the year when they beat the Timberwolves 122-99 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

The long wait finally ended for one of the NBA’s biggest stars.

Durant had not played since February 19 because of a broken right foot. He had to sit and watch his team miss the playoffs for the first time in five years, then spent the summer rehabbing his injury rather than playing the pickup games that he loves so dearly.

Durant says he’s trying not to think about his injury anymore.

He didn’t participate in a practice until the Thunder opened camp on September 29, but has reported no issues with his foot during the strenuous training camp workouts.

Billy Donovan was given the head coaching job in Oklahoma City to bring their offense into modern times – and it seems to be working, Russell Westbrook said he feels a lot more space in the system.

Durant finished the game with 28 points, hitting a variety of baskets in the game’s three periods of play. “He’s had a few incredible flashes”. “I just want to pick up where I left off”, he said during the team’s shootaround in Minnesota.

Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine filmed a television commercial with Durant in the offseason and said he is happy to see one of the highest-profile players in the league back where he belongs. “So I kind of look at it like that and try not to put too much pressure on myself”.