EDITOR’S NOTE: The Nets will re-evaluate Kevin Durant (MCL sprain) in two weeks, per the staff.
There’s optimism Durant will miss much less time than he did with a six-week absence final season; a major sigh of aid across the Nets and their MVP candidate. https://t.co/MrfAPtU90W
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 9, 2023
Kevin Durant will seemingly endure MRI testing on his proper knee on Monday, in keeping with Brooklyn Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn (through Nick Friedell of ESPN).
Vaughn mentioned Durant will seemingly get an MRI on Monday.
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) January 9, 2023
Durant injured his knee late within the third quarter as Heat swingman Jimmy Butler drove to the rim and acquired his shot blocked by Nets level ahead Ben Simmons. Butler fell again into KD’s knee, and the two-time Finals MVP stayed on the bottom for a number of moments earlier than he remained within the recreation. The Nets referred to as a timeout 30 seconds later as KD saved rubbing on the knee up and down the ground.
Durant went again to the locker room to get examined and didn’t return.
“He’s in good spirits as we all are,” Kyrie Irving mentioned of Durant, per ESPN. “The strength of our team is us picking each other up. Just being ready for whatever’s thrown at us. I think one of the greatest qualities of our team is our bench and the way we support each other, despite who’s in the lineup. And now it’s time to go out and exemplify that until we find out the timeline with K and when he could be available again. So we just got to be mature about it.”
The damage couldn’t have occurred at a worse time for Brooklyn. The Nets have gained 18 of their previous 20 video games, happening a 12-game win streak that catapulted them into second place within the Eastern Conference playoff image. Brooklyn should depend on Irving and a next-man-up mentality to maintain up their momentum and forestall a collapse like they suffered final 12 months.
Nearly a 12 months in the past, Durant suffered a knee sprain on Jan. 15, 2022, that pressured him out of motion for shut to 2 months. The Nets have been 27-15 on the time and went 5-17 throughout his absence, together with an 11-game shedding streak. Brooklyn in the end made the playoffs as a play-in staff however acquired swept within the first spherical by the NBA Finals runner-up Boston Celtics.
KD has averaged 30 factors, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per recreation as he’s led the Nets again to the highest of the Eastern Conference standings. It’ll be fascinating to see how Brooklyn will survive his absence and the way they play on studying from the teachings they realized throughout their collapse final 12 months.
Source web site: www.slamonline.com
