Simply when the Nets thought that they had an opportunity to construct some consistency with their full Massive 3 intact, Kevin Durant entered the MRI tube.
And whereas the Nets star could have averted the worst, it doesn’t sound as if he can be taking part in once more anytime quickly.
Durant underwent an MRI examination on Sunday morning that exposed a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee, the group stated. The Nets declined to offer a timetable for Durant’s absence, however stated he would “return to full energy following a interval of rehabilitation.”
The Nets didn't reveal the severity of Durant’s MCL sprain, however there may be optimism his rehab and return might take 4-to-6 weeks, ESPN reported — at greatest placing him in play to return after the All-Star break late subsequent month.
“Guys bought to step up, it’s easy,” James Harden stated Saturday night time, earlier than the Nets knew how lengthy Durant could be out. “Clearly we all know how nice of a participant KD is and what he brings to the desk each night time persistently. Some guys bought to step up and fill that position and simply proceed to compete our butts off.”
Durant was injured halfway by the second quarter of Saturday’s blowout win over the Pelicans, when Bruce Brown fell awkwardly into his knee, showing to hyperextend it. He hobbled round on the court docket momentarily earlier than taking himself out of the sport and heading straight to the locker room.
The 33-year-old Durant — who missed almost two months final season with a hamstring pressure — was within the midst of an MVP-caliber season, typically placing the Nets on his again. He leads the league with 29.3 factors per sport to go along with 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists whereas dealing with a heavy workload. His 36.5 minutes per sport are the fifth most within the league — he was second within the NBA (at 37.2) earlier than taking part in solely 12 minutes Saturday night time due to the damage.
Whereas Durant averted a significant damage — or something together with his ACL — his absence comes at an inopportune time for the Nets. On Monday they start a four-game highway journey and play 9 of their subsequent 11 video games away from Barclays Heart. The stretch was going to offer their Massive 3 of Durant, Harden and Kyrie Irving the possibility to ascertain some consistency for the primary time this season, now that the Nets are permitting the unvaccinated Irving is to play highway video games.
As an alternative, it appears to be like like Harden and Irving can be main the best way not less than in the interim, leaving the Nets feeling snakebitten by their newest setback.
“Yeah, I imply tonight what occurred to [Durant] and Kai with the ability to play highway video games solely, and Joe [Harris], Nic [Claxton], LaMarcus [Aldridge all out with injuries],” Harden stated. “However we’ve been a resilient group all yr since I’ve been right here so we simply bought to maintain pushing.”
The Nets have performed simply two video games this season with their full Massive 3 and solely 16 total (playoffs included) out of a potential 113 video games since Harden made his group debut a yr in the past Sunday. Durant, Harden and Irving every handled accidents final season, and although that they had stayed wholesome this season earlier than Durant’s MCL sprain, they had been lacking Irving due to New York Metropolis’s COVID-19 mandates till the Nets determined final month to permit him to be a part-time participant.
Regardless of Irving’s absence, the Nets are in second place within the Jap Convention at 27-15. Now they must maintain down the fort whereas Durant is out, hoping that Irving’s elevated availability may help choose up the slack as he continues to adapt bodily to being a part-time participant.
“There was plenty of dangerous luck so to talk final yr, simply the quantity of video games that we had been capable of play complete,” coach Steve Nash stated earlier than Durant’s damage. “We’ve had much more thrown at us this yr, however we’re used to it and I believe these alternatives to beat afford you much more ultimately.”
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