Unvaccinated guard Kyrie Irving will first be eligible to make his Nets season debut as a part-time participant on Wednesday at Indiana.
Coach Steve Nash wouldn’t decide to that date for the road-only Irving’s return to sport motion, however he mentioned the seven-time All-Star “appears nice, contemplating” and his comeback is “getting shut.”
Irving, who nonetheless is just not permitted to play video games in Brooklyn (or at Madison Sq. Backyard) as a result of New York Metropolis’s COVID-19 laws, rejoined the Nets in observe final week following a half-season of inaction and a December stint within the NBA’s well being and security protocols.
“He was in isolation for nevertheless many days, 10-plus days, I feel. For him to come back out of that and look pretty much as good as he has enjoying with the keep prepared group and getting his rhythm again has been thrilling,” Nash mentioned of Irving earlier than the Nets misplaced to the Clippers, 120-116, on Saturday night time. “We've to present him time to actually get his toes underneath him however so far as how he appears, he appears very gifted.”
Requested if it’s now a matter of Irving telling the teaching and coaching staffs that he believes he’s prepared, Nash mentioned: “I feel he’s on his method. It’s getting shut. We’ve simply acquired to ensure we don’t make a hasty determination, nevertheless it’s coming.”
Irving attended Seton Corridor’s loss to Villanova on Saturday at Prudential Middle in Newark, sitting masked within the entrance row alongside the sideline. If Irving doesn’t gown in opposition to the Pacers, the subsequent street sport by which he will probably be eligible to take part will probably be Jan. 12 in Chicago.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue was the third opposing head coach in 4 video games to overlook his staff’s sport in opposition to the Nets as a result of well being and security protocols, following the Lakers’ Frank Vogel and the 76ers’ Doc Rivers.
“Teaching’s very overrated,” Nash mentioned jokingly. “It’s not the most important deal. I feel on this league you play so many video games and the common season is so totally different from the playoffs that generally it may give a staff a bump. They hear a brand new voice for an evening or two, no matter it's, and it’s a bit of little bit of a break, a change, after which get again to normalcy. I’m unsure that it all the time makes that huge of a deal.”
Nic Claxton was not within the beginning lineup in opposition to the Clippers after beginning every of the Nets’ earlier three video games. He scored 13 factors in 23 minutes off the bench.
Bruce Brown joined Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge within the beginning frontcourt.
The Clippers additionally had been nonetheless with out injured stars Kawhi Leonard (knee), Paul George (elbow) and Nicolas Batum (ankle), with Ivica Zubac and Brandon Boston amongst their gamers in well being and security protocols.
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