Just as the COVID-depleted Nets announced that unvaccinated Kyrie Irving soon will be returning to their lineup, Kevin Durant will be added to the long list of sidelined players.
Durant, who has fronted a makeshift rotation featuring several untested rookies to two wins – this with James Harden among seven players in the NBA’s health and safety protocols – also will sit out Saturday’s game against Orlando with what the team is calling right-ankle soreness.
Durant previously had been listed as questionable with an ankle issue for Tuesday’s game against Toronto before playing 48 minutes and registering a 34-point triple-double that night in an overtime win over the Raptors. He also scored 34 points in 39 minutes, highlighted by a tiebreaking four-point play with 1:46 remaining, in Thursday’s win over the 76ers.
Before Thursday’s game, Nets coach Steve Nash had termed Durant’s recent play “insane,” but he also acknowledged that finding a way to get the 11-time All-Star some rest is a “really important” topic.
“I don’t know that we can continue to lean on him the way we have. It doesn’t feel right,” Nash said. “I know he’s enjoying it. I know he’s enjoying playing at the rate he’s playing at and trying to bring his teammates along with him and all the responsibility he’s accepted and crushed basically.
“It’s been incredible. But at the same time, we know that’s not safe or sustainable to continue to lean on him like that. There’s going to be a lot of consideration and we’ll have to find a way to give him some breaks.”
Nic Claxton gushed following Thursday’s win that Brooklyn’s youthful contingent — also featuring rookies Cam Thomas, David Duke, Kessler Edwards and Day’Ron Sharpe — “definitely, definitely, definitely” has been following the lead and feeding off the stellar play of their MVP candidate.
“It’s definitely not something that you can take for granted. I think he’s the GOAT,” Claxton said, invoking the popularized acronym for Greatest of All Time. “He’s making plays for us, trusting us and he’s just getting the job done and playing a lot of minutes, too. He’s definitely leading us.”
The Nets also will rest veteran guard Patty Mills on Saturday.
As for Claxton — who took a hard fall in the third quarter against the Sixers — he has been listed as questionable with left wrist soreness.