Spurs preparing for season opener against Brooklyn Nets, a new foe and contender.

A torn achilles later--Kevin Durant is back.

Kevin Durant, the all-world superstar most responsible for some unforgettable showdowns between the Spurs and Warriors in years past, is back in full health. "I feel good. I'm ready," to take the court for his new team for the first time since leaving Golden State last summer, Durant said. He'll take the court with Kyrie Irving, who has one season on his résumé with the feisty Brooklyn Nets, fresh off surgery of his own for a nagging shoulder problem throughout last season.


The Spurs will also look different, as a half-new roster takes the court. Familiar faces add up to six, with six new additions also seeking to absorb the championship culture of the Spurs organization and more intimately gel as one force on the hardwood of the undoubtedly sold-out Barclays Center.

"It'll be a fun night. My plan is to get our guys going, especially the new guys. We had a good camp, but now it's for real and we gotta remind the league we're the champs," Dejounte Murray vowed at the press conference.

Who will guard the elite talents of Durant? Most likely Brandon Ingram, perhaps P.J. Tucker at times also. Coach Popovich has been known in his career for using several defenders to challenge star players to be effective. With Avery Bradley gone, most likely it'll be Dejounte Murray 1-on-1 with Kyrie Irving. Certainly, new-look perimeter defenders Kent Bazemore & Allen Crabbe will seek to make an immediate impact to showcase their worth to their new team. Another intriguing debut will come in the form of blockbuster summer acquisition, Andre Drummond, who'll look to enforce himself down low as one of the Spurs new "Big 3."