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Nets

Not long ago, a ruptured Achilles was considered a death sentence for an NBA player&rsquo;s career. 
There was a long list of players who were never the same following their Achilles injury: Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant, Mehmet Okur, Chauncey Billups, Brandon Jennings, Christian Laettner, Jonas Jerebko, Anderson Varejao and so on.&nbsp;
Dominique Wilkins was the lone example of a player who returned and continued producing at a superstar level (as he averaged 29.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.0 steal per game).
That&rsquo;s why the basketball world was devastated when Kevin Durant ruptured his Achilles on basketball&rsquo;s biggest stage during the 2019 NBA Finals. Durant is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history and nobody wanted to see his name added to the list above.
Fortunately, Durant hasn&rsquo;t missed a beat since returning from his Achilles injury. Somehow, in his first nine games back, he looks like the exact same player. The 32-year-old is averaging 30.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 2.9 threes, 1.0 block and .9 steal (while shooting a ridiculous 54.8 percent from the field, 48.3 percent from three and 86.7 percent from the free-throw line).
He's posting career-highs in assists per game, threes per game, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, True Shooting Percentage and assist percentage. His 30.7 points would be the second-highest mark of his career (which says something considering he's a four-time scoring champ). And he&rsquo;s doing this while getting acclimated on the Brooklyn Nets and adjusting to new coaches and teammates.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Just trying to be the best I can each possession and each rep,&rdquo; Durant said recently. &ldquo;I've been always trying to take that approach as a pro, and then you got guys around you who have that same approach and love for the game. It's making me better and hopefully rubbing off on my teammates as well. &rdquo;
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Many fans take Durant's greatness for granted since he has consistently posted jaw-dropping numbers for over a decade and he makes the game look incredibly easy, but it's important to note that we're witnessing something special right now.
Among all players, Durant currently ranks second in points per game (30.7), third in PER (27.9), fourth in Offensive Box Plus/Minus (6.6), fifth in Box Plus/Minus (7.3), eighth in Offensive Win Shares (1.2), ninth in Net Rating (14.7), ninth in True Shooting Percentage (.675), ninth in Value Over Replacement Player (.7) and 13th in Win Shares (1.6).&nbsp;
If Durant is performing this well out of the gate, how will he look once he shakes off the rust and gets used to his new situation?
&ldquo;He continues to find his rhythm,&rdquo; Nets head coach Steve Nash said. &ldquo;He looks great and he&rsquo;s going to continue to feel more and more comfortable.&rdquo;
Nash is confident that Durant can return to his MVP form, but he has repeatedly said that Durant should give himself 15-to-20 games before judging himself and expecting to be back at 100 percent. And after nine games, Nash is revising that timetable a bit,
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a pleasure to coach him; he&rsquo;s so talented and loves the game,&rdquo; Nash said. &ldquo;Part of the process of him coming back to playing is that it&rsquo;s not going to be smooth off the bat. I said early on [that it&rsquo;ll take] 15-to-20 games and I think that&rsquo;s even... maybe I need to be more conservative with that number, just because it&rsquo;s such a lot thrown at him [during] the climb he&rsquo;s had back here.&rdquo;
When Wilkins came back from his ruptured Achilles, he said the first few games were the toughest.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The thing you keep thinking about is, &lsquo;What if I tear this thing again? What if I hear that pop?&rsquo; You think those sort of things, but you must get those things out of your head,&rdquo; Wilkins <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2019/01/17/nba-rumor-warriors-demarcus-cousins-achilles-dominique-wilkins-kobe/">told me in 2019</a>. &ldquo;You can&rsquo;t even think about that stuff. The moment I realized I was back to being myself came during our training camp. I hit the ground really hard, and I immediately grabbed my ankle. But I didn&rsquo;t feel any pain. That&rsquo;s when I said, &lsquo;You know what? If this thing is going to pop or tear, it&rsquo;s happening on my terms. I&rsquo;m going all out.&rsquo; I just had to think like that to get that [fear] out of my head.
&ldquo;We played two really great teams in a back-to-back when I first returned (the Knicks and Bulls). I had two great games, which did wonders for my confidence. I knew, at that point, &lsquo;Hey, I&rsquo;m back in rare form.&rsquo; That&rsquo;s when I realized, &lsquo;Only you know how tough you are. Nobody else knows.&rsquo; That confidence and toughness helped me get over my fear of hurting myself again.&rdquo;
Durant&rsquo;s monster numbers have to be good for his confidence, and the fact that he&rsquo;s already playing in back-to-backs suggests that he&rsquo;s pain-free and blocking out that fear of re-injury.&nbsp;
Also, Wilkins told me that he stayed motivated by listening to his doubters.
&ldquo;Well, I looked at all of the criticism,&rdquo; Wilkins <a href="https://hoopshype.com/2019/01/17/nba-rumor-warriors-demarcus-cousins-achilles-dominique-wilkins-kobe/">said</a>. &ldquo;I looked at all of the guys who were saying I wouldn&rsquo;t come back. I looked at all of the guys who were saying that if I did come back, I couldn&rsquo;t be that good because I was already 32 years old. I looked at everyone saying my best days were behind me because, at that time, it was a very difficult injury to come back from. 
"I just used it as fuel to prove everyone wrong. I worked twice-a-day, every day, for nine months. I was working hard. My inspiration came from all of those negative articles that talked about how old I was and how difficult it would be to return. I kept all of those articles and I put them on my bathroom mirror, so that I&rsquo;d have to see them every day. That was my inspiration.&rdquo;
Sound familiar?
As if the Nets weren't already under the microscope, all eyes will be on them going forward now that they&rsquo;ve assembled a Big Three of Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.
Brooklyn is now 7-6, which is the fifth-best record in the East. The Nets currently have the NBA&rsquo;s fourth-best offense (scoring 112.9 points per 100 possessions) and 10th-best defense (allowing 106.5 points per 100 possessions), although this team will look very different following the trade for Harden.
The Nets face the Orlando Magic tonight at 6 p.m. ET and while Irving is out, Harden may make his Brooklyn debut.

Kevin Durant is absolutely dominating in his first nine games back since rupturing his Achilles, writes Alex Kennedy.

Don't take Kevin Durant's greatness for granted

Kevin Durant was perfect. The Brooklyn Nets were pretty close to it in the second quarter when he rejoined them.
Durant returned from a 23-game absence to spark Brooklyn's most explosive half of the season, finishing with 17 points on 5-for-5 shooting in the Nets' 139-111 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
Durant came off the bench with about 7 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter and by the time the period ended the Nets had 79 points and a 20-point halftime lead. Brooklyn was a sizzling 14 for 18 (78%) in its 43-point quarter.
&ldquo;I expected to come out here and play the way I played,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;I wasn&rsquo;t trying to ease into the game.&rdquo;
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A perfect return. 📼 Highlight's from <a href="https://twitter.com/Kdtrey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KDTrey</a>'s 17-point, 5-for-5 night 📼 <a href="https://t.co/xsuQecih92">pic.twitter.com/xsuQecih92</a>
&mdash; Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1379993651829477377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Durant added seven rebounds and five assists in 19 minutes in his return from a strained left hamstring. He was originally listed in the starting lineup, but was removed in a revised lineup distributed minutes before his first game since Feb. 13.
Coach Steve Nash said bringing Durant off the bench was so the Nets could more easily control his minutes if the game was close down the stretch.
It wasn't.
&ldquo;We got dominated at both ends of the floor. Totally dominated,&rdquo; Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said. &ldquo;We couldn&rsquo;t get out to the 3-point line. Our defense was absurd. They totally dominated us.&rdquo;
Durant got an ovation from the first home crowd he'd played in front of with the Nets. Barclays Center only began allowing limited crowds on Feb. 23.
Kyrie Irving scored 24 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 in the Nets' ninth straight home win.
Eric Bledsoe scored 26 points for the Pelicans before being ejected in the third quarter.
Zion Williamson had just 16 on 4-for-12 shooting, ending his streak of 25 straight games with 20 points and 50% shooting. That tied Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal for the longest such streak since 1954-55, when the shot clock debuted.
A night after surrendering 46 points in the third quarter of a loss to Atlanta, the Pelicans&rsquo; defenseless period came sooner.
Brooklyn led 36-33 after Blake Griffin's long 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the first quarter. The lead had grown to 53-44 by the time Durant checked in and the rout was soon on.
The Nets shot 55% and made 19 3-pointers. They did it all without James Harden, who will miss at least 10 days with his own hamstring injury. He sat on the bench wearing shorts.
Brooklyn scored 36 more in the third, bringing a 115-82 lead to the fourth while Durant went back to the bench.
&ldquo;Amazing first game back,&rdquo; Nash said. &ldquo;I thought the overall team performance was really strong.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Pelicans: Lonzo Ball scored 15 points. ... Brandon Ingram missed his fifth straight game with a right foot injury.
Nets: Griffin had 10 points, with a powerful dunk in the second quarter. ... The 79 points equaled the third-most for the Nets in a first half in franchise history.
NO WORRIES
Though the Nets have had their Big Three play just seven times, Van Gundy doesn't see much cause for concern for Nash.
&ldquo;I mean, you&rsquo;re talking about three really, really talented guys who&rsquo;ve played in a lot of big games and they know how to play the game and he&rsquo;s seen them all play,&rdquo; Van Gundy said. &ldquo;I just can&rsquo;t imagine that it&rsquo;s a big problem. I mean, certainly he&rsquo;d like to have them all together for as much time as he could, but I don&rsquo;t think he&rsquo;s probably over there real, real anxious about anything.&rdquo;
SUPER SUB
Durant played as a reserve for only the second time in his career &mdash; both in his last two home games. He wasn't able to start on Feb. 5 against Toronto in what was his 867th game while the NBA reviewed an inconclusive coronavirus test result of someone Durant had interacted with that afternoon. He was later cleared to enter, then forced to leave again in the third quarter.
UP NEXT
Pelicans: Host Philadelphia on Friday.
Nets: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.

Durant returned from a 23-game absence to spark Brooklyn's most explosive half of the season, finishing with 17 points on 5-for-5 shooting.

Kevin Durant's perfect return fuels Nets' 139-111 rout of Pelicans

When Steph Curry and his Golden State Warriors walked into Barclays Center on Tuesday night, they knew that they were squaring off against the Eastern Conference&rsquo;s hottest team.
Wanting to make amends for their Sunday loss to the Charlotte Hornets, the Warriors had some extra pep in their step. And they knew they needed it.
After all, they were squaring off against the best version of Kevin Durant we&rsquo;ve ever seen.
By his own admission, when Durant decided to take his talents to Brooklyn, it was done at least partially because he wanted less noise in the foreground. Basketball, he said, was all he cared about.
The glamour, the glitz, the flashing lights and the celebrities, Durant said, wasn&rsquo;t attractive to him.&nbsp;
At this point, it&rsquo;s hard to argue with the results.
As of Nov. 17, most NBA teams have played about 15 games, and for Brooklyn, Tuesday night&rsquo;s contest against the visiting Warriors happened to be exactly that. And remarkably, it took exactly that long for Durant to turn in his first effort of the season in which he made fewer than seven field goals. More impressively, though, was that it took Durant all of 15 games to shoot less than 44% from the field during a contest.
Any lingering doubt as to whether he could recapture his past form after suffering a devastating Achilles tendon injury (and missing an entire season as a result) has been answered. Rather emphatically, at that.
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We all remember the sad scene.&nbsp;
At 30 years old, in the NBA Finals, one of the game&rsquo;s all-time greats helplessly sat on the hardwood at Scotiabank Arena. Torn Achilles &mdash; the two worst words a basketball player can possibly hear.
From the time he confirmed his diagnosis and ensuing surgery on Twitter, we all knew that the road back for Durant would be difficult. Not Rudy Gay, not Chauncey Billups and not even the late, great Kobe Bryant were the same after they suffered the same injury.
We hoped, that somehow, despite scores of contrary examples, he could be close to the same. Merely recapturing his previous form was believed to be a long shot, but while he silently and steadfastly attacked his rehab in Brooklyn, Durant was determined to make fools of us all.
Somehow, miraculously, he&rsquo;s been better.
Now 33 years old, it&rsquo;s amazing that we&rsquo;ve spent more time getting a taste of Durant as an early-season MVP candidate than we have lamenting the fact that he&rsquo;s no longer the same player. We&rsquo;ve spent less time talking about his injury than we have Kyrie Irving or Ben Simmons, and that&rsquo;s saying something.&nbsp;
But although it may seem like ancient history at this point &mdash; due to Durant missing the entire 2019-20 season and the Toronto Raptors playing the 2020-21 season in Tampa &mdash; he played his first game back at Scotiabank Arena since the crushing moment on Nov. 7.
It was like returning to the scene of a crime, except the accused had already been exonerated.
&ldquo;The last time I was here was one of my lowest moments as a basketball player, but it&rsquo;s good to come back here and see the fans and get a W,&rdquo; Durant said after he casually led the Nets to a 116-103 win.
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📼 Highlights from <a href="https://twitter.com/KDTrey5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KDTrey5</a> night in Toronto 📼 <a href="https://t.co/TwZ1aRqC3j">pic.twitter.com/TwZ1aRqC3j</a>
&mdash; Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1457484898453831685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2021</a></blockquote>

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This was just another day at the office &mdash; 31 points on 11-for-19 shooting from the field to go along with 7 rebounds and 7 assists &mdash; &nbsp;and he reflected on the long path back following the victory.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m proud of all the people that&rsquo;s sacrificed their time to help me through this long period, this tough period, because I was a burden on a lot of people mentally," Durant said. "You never knew how I was gonna approach the day. But so many people took their time with me and helped me through this. I&rsquo;m just proud that they stuck with me, obviously I was gonna do the work but they made sure I was doing the right work, so I appreciate those who were there for me.&rdquo;
For the most part, many of the lingering questions about Durant&rsquo;s ability to play at a high level were answered during last season. In 35 games, he recorded per-game averages of 26.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists on what was &mdash; remarkably &mdash; a career-best 53.7% shooting percentage. He also shot a career-best 45% from three-point territory.
Wanting to ramp him up though, Brooklyn obviously pitch-counted Durant, and the questions as to whether he could stand up to the rigors of a long season persisted. He mostly put those doubts to rest with an inspiring performance during last year&rsquo;s Eastern Conference semifinal series against the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks.
But this season has been something different entirely.
So it was impossible to not recognize the irony on a random Tuesday night in mid-November.&nbsp;
Durant took the court against the team he won a pair of championships with, and entered the contest having been the best version of himself that we&rsquo;ve ever seen. And he did so after he left them on crutches just over two years ago.
Even without Irving, Durant managed to not only regain his form, but improve dramatically. He entered play on Nov. 16 having played every game for the Nets this season, averaging an incredible 29.6 points per game. The scoring output would be his highest since he won the league&rsquo;s Most Valuable Player Award in 2014 and the third-highest of his career. His 58.6% shooting from the field coming in was absurdly high, and about five points higher than what his career-best last season was. There are big men in the league who don&rsquo;t leave the paint who can&rsquo;t approach that mark. Durant, on the other hand, attempts only 13% of his shots from within three feet of the basket.
For the most part, he&rsquo;s made a living by being an incredibly proficient mid-range and three-point shooter, and he&rsquo;s only improved upon that while in Brooklyn. It&rsquo;s no coincidence that he entered Tuesday night&rsquo;s contest as the league&rsquo;s leading scorer, as well as an early favorite for MVP.
In the end, Durant had a miserable night against his former club &mdash; 19 points in a 117-99 loss in which for had his worst shooting performance of the season (6-for-19).
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For Durant, though, at least this season, that&rsquo;s been the exception. It&rsquo;s a blip.
There&rsquo;s a long way to go still, but Durant has shown us that impossible is nothing. At least in some cases, it&rsquo;s possible to save your best for last, even when the odds are against it.
Someway, somehow, even after the relative dud on Tuesday night, Durant still leads the NBA in both total points (434) and points per game (28.9) while taking the 15th-most attempts (18.8) on average. He&rsquo;s been so good that he&rsquo;s helped everyone forget that Brooklyn is missing one of its Big Three, and that the other member of the triad, James Harden, is having his worst season in quite some time.
&ldquo;When you're playing against a guy like Kevin, you're never just stopping him,&rdquo; Draymond Green said after the Warriors got their win on Tuesday night.&nbsp;&ldquo;You're never locking him down. It's always going to come down to a matter of whether he misses or makes shots, and you just try to make those shots as tough as you can.&rdquo;
Green spoke about Durant with the ultimate respect.
It was almost as if KD's Achilles injury never happened at all.
In fact, it&rsquo;s almost as if it hasn&rsquo;t.

Moke Hamilton breaks down Kevin Durant's incredible start to the season and why he should be commended for his efforts.

Kevin Durant’s having a career year, even if Steph Curry won Round 1

The news of Coinbase, a cyrptocurrency marketplace, going public is good news for a lot of people, but especially Brooklyn Nets All-Star Kevin Durant and his business partner, Rich Kleiman.&nbsp;
According to Joe Pompilano, Durant and Kleiman invested in Coinbase when it was valued at $1.6 billion. Now, that valuation has skyrocketed up to near $100 billion.&nbsp;
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Coinbase <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24COIN&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$COIN</a> is going public today at a ~$100 billion valuation. The interesting part? Kevin Durant and his business partner Rich Kleiman invested in Coinbase at a $1.6 billion valuation. That's a 61.5x increase in valuation. Winners win. <a href="https://t.co/9ymgboKYb5">pic.twitter.com/9ymgboKYb5</a>
&mdash; Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoePompliano/status/1382312803080536072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Coinbase is going public with a valuation near $100 billion.

Kevin Durant, Rich Kleiman among Coinbase investors

Brooklyn's Kevin Durant will sit out tonight vs. the Grizzlies.
Source: <a style="color: #ffffff;" href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1343617473510318082" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter)</a>
ANALYSIS: Kevin Durant will be rested for Monday's game against the Grizzlies as it is the second night of a back-to-back for the Nets. Brooklyn left the door open for Durant to play both halves of the back-to-back, but the Nets will err on the side of caution and hold him out of Monday's game. Durant remains hopeful he will be able to play back-to-backs as the season progresses.

Kevin Durant will sit out of the Nets second night of a back-to-back.

Nets' Kevin Durant (rest) out vs. Grizzlies

Appearing on JJ Redick's The Old Man and the Three podcast, Kevin Durant delivered his first public comments about new Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash. 
"I'm excited," Durant said. "Anytime a former player gets a job as a coach in the league I'm excited because their level of knowledge for the game runs deep, especially the experience on the floor.
"[Nash's] insight for the game, his communication, how he communicates the game of basketball is definitely going to help me as a player develop and it's going to help the rest of our team. And our relationship started from playing, me admiring him as a player and playing against him and competing against him."
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/OldManAndThree/status/1304200684691054595?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Old Man and the Three podcast (Twitter)</a>
ANALYSIS: Durant has worked with Nash in the past when the former All-Star point guard was a player development consultant for the Golden State Warriors. That brought the two even closer than when they shared experiences on the floor as adversaries. Now, these two (and Kyrie Irving) will strive for greatness in Brooklyn.

These two (and Kyrie Irving) will strive for greatness in Brooklyn.

Kevin Durant 'excited' to work with Nash

Brooklyn Nets wing Kevin Durant is the latest superstar in the NBA to enter COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
<a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1472243815364931584?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source: Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS: Durant is putting together one of the best seaons of his illustrious career averaging 29.7 points on a 62.6 True Shooting percentage. What Durant continues to do post-Achilles tear in 2019 continues to be an incredible storyline, showing no signs at all of slowing down anytime soon.
Brooklyn now has eight players in COVID-19 health and safety protocols, including Durant and James Harden. With all of their COVID-related issues, the Nets have allowed Kyrie Irving to return on a part-time basis.

Another day, another superstar enters the NBA's health and safety protocols. This time, it's MVP contender Kevin Durant.

Kevin Durant enters league health and safety protocols

The Brooklyn Nets have been without Kevin Durant since February 13 due to a hamstring injury, but things may be looking up for his return to game action.&nbsp;
According to Stadium, Durant is getting closer to joining the team on the floor, and according to Stadium he would be already playing if this were playoff action.&nbsp;
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"Sources tell me Kevin Durant is closing in on a return to the floor." Our NBA Insider <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShamsCharania</a> has the latest on Durant, plus an update on James Harden's hamstring injury. <a href="https://t.co/vwLoeKZepr">pic.twitter.com/vwLoeKZepr</a>
&mdash; Stadium (@Stadium) <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium/status/1377643278888226822?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Durant has played just 19 games with the Nets this year due to various injuries and a stint in the NBA's health and safety protocols. When he's been on the floor, he's been one of the league's best offensively, averaging 29 points on 52.4% shooting and 43.4% from 3-point range.&nbsp;

Kevin Durant closing in on return to action

On Friday the Brooklyn Nets announced that Kevin Durant will not play again until after the All-Star Break as he continues to deal with a hamstring injury sustained earlier this month.&nbsp;
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Medical update on Kevin Durant: <a href="https://t.co/2NG9PExjJp">pic.twitter.com/2NG9PExjJp</a>
&mdash; Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1365399064783839234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2021</a></blockquote>

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The Nets have three games remaining prior to the break, with contests against Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston before All-Star Weekend.&nbsp;
This season, Durant is averaging 29 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, but has only played in 19 games due to time in the NBA's Health and Safety Protocol and his injured hamstring. Since All-Star guard James Harden was acquired via trade from Houston, Durant has only played in seven games.&nbsp;

Durant will miss a total of 18 games prior to the All-Star Break.

Kevin Durant sidelined until after All-Star Break

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant will not play in Friday's contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1352674034178273281" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marc Stein via Twitter</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Durant logged a whopping 50 minutes played in Brooklyn's double-overtime loss to the Cavs on Wednesday. He tallied 38 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and four blocks in an all-around performance. The Nets played just nine in the contest, and will give Durant a breather in Friday's rematch.&nbsp;

Durant played 50 minutes in the first game of the series with Cleveland on Wednesday.

Kevin Durant will not play Friday vs. Cavaliers

<a href="https://twitter.com/BrooklynNets/status/1348037207597195269" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Brooklyn Nets announced via Twitter</a> that All-Star forward Kevin Durant will be listed as 'probable' for Sunday's game vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant has missed the Nets' previous three games due to the league's health and safety protocols, with Brooklyn going 2-1 in that span. Durant was originally scheduled to miss four games after it was announced Monday that he was facing a seven-day quarantine period, but Durant should be good to go for Sunday should he continue to test 'negative' for COVID-19.
The Nets also announced that All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving could return to the lineup Sunday after missing the previous two games because of 'personal reasons.' Irving, who is currently listed as 'questionable' on the Nets' injury report, has averaged 27.1 points, 6.1 assists and 5.3 rebounds in seven games this season.

Kevin Durant (health and safety protocols) and Kyrie Irving (personal reasons) could return for the Nets tomorrow vs. the Thunder.

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving could return vs. Thunder

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant missed the second half of Brooklyn's game against New Orleans on Saturday night after spraining his left knee in a collision.
The NBA's scoring leader left with 5:38 remaining in the second quarter and the Nets announced at halftime that he wouldn't return. He had 12 points in 12 minutes.
Durant was hurt when teammate Bruce Brown bumped into a driving Herbert Jones and <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1482527473749266432?s=20">fell backward into him</a>. Durant grabbed at his knee, tried to walk it off and then asked to be removed from the game. 
Durant was back in the lineup after sitting out a loss to Oklahoma City on Thursday night to rest on the second night of a back-to-back. It was the Nets' fourth game in five nights.
With Kyrie Irving ineligible to play in home games, Durant has had to play heavy minutes in his second season in Brooklyn after sitting out a year following Achilles tendon surgery.

Kevin Durant missed the second half of Brooklyn's game against New Orleans after spraining his left knee in a collision.

Kevin Durant leaves Nets' game with sprained left knee

&ldquo;They f**ked it up.&rdquo;&nbsp;
That was the main takeaway from both Draymond Green and Kevin Durant in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x6DjeJNd64" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inaugural episode of CHIPS</a>, a Bleacher Report show hosted by Green. &ldquo;They&rdquo; being Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and owner Bob Myers, and &ldquo;it&rdquo; being the Bay Area dynasty.&nbsp;
Green hosted his former teammate Durant to discuss their time together in Golden State. And while they covered a number of topics, they provided a new and interesting explanation for why the Warriors disbanded &ndash; and it wasn&rsquo;t their on-court confrontation. &nbsp;
Durant and Green had several run-ins in their three seasons as teammates. Durant is legitimately one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA &ndash; and everything we know about the best players in this game would indicate that they&rsquo;re all competitive. Green, too, is a hyper-competitive and outspoken player. Neither is shy about speaking his mind, so butting heads was inevitable.
Their most aggressive public feud took place in Los Angeles in a game against the Clippers in November 2018. Green held (and ultimately lost) the ball on a potentially game-winning possession, which resulted in a minutes-long exchange on the Warriors bench between the two.
There was already speculation about Durant leaving the Warriors prior to the dust-up in question; after the fight, it was assumed to be a done deal. And that assumption became a reality, as Durant left Golden State to team up with Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn the following offseason.&nbsp;
In the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x6DjeJNd64" target="_blank" rel="noopener">24-minute-long episode</a>, Green directly asked if he was to blame for Durant&rsquo;s departure.&nbsp;
&ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t the argument,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;It was the way that everyone&hellip; Steve Kerr acted like it didn&rsquo;t happen. Bob Myers tried to just discipline you and think that that would just put the mask over everything.
&ldquo;I really felt like that was such a big situation for us as a group,&rdquo; Durant continued. &rdquo;(It was the) the first time we went through something like that. We had to get that sh*t all out. I remember watching The Last Dance and when Scottie [Pippen] didn&rsquo;t go into the game, the whole team, in the locker room, said Scottie that was f**ked up that you did that. We needed that.&rdquo;
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So, there&rsquo;s a new narrative about Durant, Green and the Warriors &ndash; do we believe it? While the two agree that Kerr&rsquo;s inactivity and Myers&rsquo; punitive actions played a larger role in the team breaking up, Durant previously confirmed the role Green played in his departure, and it contradicts the message from their recent sit-down.&nbsp;
In an <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1189909935343013888" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oct. 2019 appearance on ESPN&rsquo;s First Take</a>, Durant confirmed that the fight did in fact play a role in his departure. When specifically asked about the fight&rsquo;s role in his leaving, Durant replied, &ldquo;For sure, I&rsquo;m not gonna lie about it.&rdquo;&nbsp;
But it&rsquo;s worth noting that Durant appeared hesitant to relive the confrontation with Green. It&rsquo;s possible that he simply didn&rsquo;t want to explore it. Durant&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-is-thirty-five-ventures-examining-kevin-durants-businesses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a savvy businessman</a>, and he understands the impact of confirming a rumor to the media, so feeding that narrative to the media was a major mistake if it was untrue.
However, in that same interview, Durant willingly elaborated on the main reasons for his departure &ndash; namely, an aging Warriors&rsquo; roster and the impending challenges of re-signing all major contributors. Maybe he was simply brushing past an uncomfortable topic that he wished would go away. And when it didn&rsquo;t, his displeasure toward the media probably grew. &nbsp;
Durant addressed his relationship with the media in his conversation with Green, too, revealing disappointment with it after learning that members aren&rsquo;t as knowledgeable as he assumed. &nbsp;
&ldquo;I felt like the media knew more than me,&rdquo; Durant said.&nbsp;
&ldquo;(But) some of the questions, they didn&rsquo;t seem so intelligent to me anymore,&rdquo; Durant continued. &ldquo;&hellip;This game is simple to me, so some of the stuff that y&rsquo;all asking doesn&rsquo;t move me the way it used to.&rdquo;
Durant is clearly resentful of the media, which could be partially due to how he was covered in (and on his way out of) Golden State. We&rsquo;ll never know for sure exactly how Durant felt about Green following the November 2018 incident and how much of a role it played in his departure, but that&rsquo;s fine. Durant&rsquo;s feelings about the confrontation seem to have changed, and that&rsquo;s fine, too &ndash; after all, time heals all wounds.&nbsp;
But Durant and Green clearly maintain a strong rapport, so it&rsquo;s fair to assume that the relationship was never as toxic as it was reported to be. And while Durant might be hard on the media at times, his issues with the media are probably valid.
He does know more. Snap judgments are made and stuck by. And some articles are written for views.&nbsp;
But for Durant&rsquo;s peace of mind, he should try to land on a more amicable way to interact with the media. The news cycle moves quickly. Other things will inevitably happen involving Durant resulting in major stories. He can react one of two ways &mdash; either be a part of shaping future narratives, or narratives can be shaped about him.
Regardless, the stories will run.

Green hosted his former teammate Durant on Bleacher Report's "CHIPS" to discuss their time together in Golden State.

Kevin Durant, Draymond Green bury the 2018 Warriors hatchet

On Thursday, Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant announced a partnership and sponsorship deal with Weedmaps, an online marketplace for cannabis consumers and businesses.
According to <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32051873/kevin-durant-aims-destigmatize-marijuana-use-new-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ESPN's Brian Windhorst</a>, "Durant has been an advocate for the benefits of marijuana in the past and has invested in cannabis-related businesses. It's the furthest an active major pro athlete, especially one with Durant's visibility, has gone in the pot space."
As part of the partnership, Weedmaps will be an official sponsor of Thirty Five Ventures&rsquo; sports business media network, <a href="https://boardroom.tv/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://boardroom.tv/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1629559879176000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHi8g62QTbi4lnFBjwLURU_bd9daw">Boardroom.</a>&nbsp;
"I think it's far past time to address the stigmas around cannabis that still exist in the sports world as well as globally," Durant <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32051873/kevin-durant-aims-destigmatize-marijuana-use-new-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told ESPN</a>. "This partnership is going to help us continue to normalize those conversations, as well as create content, events, and a lot more through our Boardroom media network. This is just the beginning for us."
The NBA has made major strides in decriminalizing marijuana use. Just last season, the NBA and NBPA agreed to suspend all randomized marijuana tests for the year, and something similar could go into effect for the upcoming 2021-22 season as well.
Durant is one of many athletes who have publicly advocated for the health benefits associated with marijuana. Marijuana can be used as a natural alternative to pain-medication pills that athletes are often prescribed for inflammation and injury recovery, and many athletes have gone on record to say that they prefer marijuana over opiates.
"Marijuana remains banned by the NBA but exists in a decriminalized gray area," Windhorst added. "League rules currently require four random tests for marijuana per year but those tests were informally halted when the league re-started in the Orlando bubble in 2020 and then didn't return in the 2020-21 season.
"Representatives from the league office and player's union told ESPN Thursday that there is ongoing dialogue about marijuana but there are currently no concrete plans to formally change the rule. The league still does drug testing and last month suspended Toronto Raptors guard Jalen Harris for a year because of violations of the anti-drug policy."
If some of the NBA's biggest stars start to become the face of cannabis companies (like Durant with Weedmaps) and openly support the use of cannabis in sports, it isn't too far-fetched to think Adam Silver and the NBA could remove marijuana from their banned-substances list in the near future.

Kevin Durant announced a partnership and sponsorship deal with Weedmaps, and he hopes to destigmatize marijuana in the NBA.

Kevin Durant partners with Weedmaps, aims to destigmatize marijuana

The Nets announced <a href="https://www.nba.com/nets/news/2021/08/08/brooklyn-nets-sign-kevin-durant-multi-year-contract-extension" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a statement today</a> that they have signed Kevin Durant to a multi-year contract extension.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Kevin is a transcendent talent who continues to drive and push this franchise and the game of basketball globally,&rdquo; general manager Sean Marks said. &ldquo;We are thrilled to continue our partnership with him for years to come. Kevin&rsquo;s impact both on and off the court cannot be overstated. His unparalleled drive and leadership generate sustained excellence from himself while also elevating the performance of his teammates, positioning this organization to continue the pursuit of our championship goals in Brooklyn.&rdquo;
<a href="https://boardroom.tv/kevin-durant-contract-brooklyn-nets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Per Boardroom</a>, the deal is for four years and worth $198 million. Durant averaged 26.3 points per game while canning a career-high 45.0% of his threes with the Nets in 2020-21. He also averaged 7.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.3 blocks in 33.1 minutes per game.

Durant averaged 26.3 points per game while canning a career-high 45.0% of his threes with the Nets in 2020-21.

Kevin Durant signs multi-year contract extension with Nets

Kevin Durant has been ruled out for Tuesday's contest against the New Orleans Pelicans due to a thigh contusion.&nbsp;
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1384262177339498502" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/Twitter</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Charania also reports that Reggie Perry and Nic Claxton (health and safety protocols) will miss the game. Durant injured his thigh in Sunday's game agains the Miami Heat. He's currently averaging 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.

Durant left Sunday's game against Miami with the injury.

Kevin Durant out Tuesday vs. Pelicans with thigh contusion

Kevin Durant left the game and was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's contest with Miami due to a thigh contusion.
Source: <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1383871528157138951" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shams Charania/The Athletic</a>
ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Durant had played just four minutes in the contest, scoring eight points and grabbing one rebound. The Nets star is averaging 28.1 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game this season.&nbsp;

Durant had scored eight points in four minutes before leaving the contest.

Kevin Durant leaves game vs. Heat with thigh contusion

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Kevin Durant apologized Thursday for threatening and profane comments he made to entertainer Michael Rapaport through social media.
Rapaport released images of the private messages Tuesday on his Twitter account, and they included homophobic and misogynistic language from the Brooklyn Nets star.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m sorry that people seen the language that I used,&rdquo; Durant said. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s not really what I want people to see and hear from me, but hopefully I can move past it and get back out on the floor.&rdquo;
The NBA hasn't weighed in yet on Durant's comments and whether he would be fined. Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said the team has discussed the remarks but would keep the conversation internal.
Durant is nearing a return from a left hamstring strain that has sidelined him since mid-February. He could be back sometime next week.
He and the Nets thought the injury was minor when he missed his first game Feb. 15 in Sacramento. But a subsequent exam showed it to be more serious.
&ldquo;So, one of those things where I&rsquo;m not feeling a ton of pain, but it&rsquo;s just like you don&rsquo;t want to force one of these injuries, go out there and make it worse,&rdquo; Durant said.
&ldquo;In my mind I&rsquo;m just like, &lsquo;I can play,&rsquo; but then it&rsquo;s also like you&rsquo;ve got to be smart and cautious with this type of injury. So just try to be patient with it all and just rehab as hard as I can, and I&rsquo;ve been through this situation before so I just try to take myself back to that place.&rdquo;
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Durant sat out the entire 2019-20 season, his first in Brooklyn, after rupturing his Achilles tendon playing for Golden State in the 2019 NBA Finals.
He, Kyrie Irving and James Harden have been able to play just seven times together since the Nets acquired Harden in January, but the team has rolled to first place in the Eastern Conference while Durant sits.
&ldquo;I was playing solid before I got injured and feel like we were just starting to figure each other out, James, Kyrie and myself, and different lineups out there on the floor,&rdquo; Durant said.
&ldquo;I felt like we were starting to gain our rhythm and even though I was out a week before that with (health and safety) protocols, I felt like our team was gaining more chemistry then and that&rsquo;s more so what I care about. How I play, I&rsquo;ll figure that out over time whenever I get out there.&rdquo;
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

“I’m sorry that people seen the language that I used,” Durant said. “That’s not really what I want people to see and hear from me."

Kevin Durant apologizes for profane DMs to Michael Rapaport

LaMarcus Aldridge, the newest member of the Brooklyn Nets, says Kevin Durant recruited him directly.&nbsp;
"KD hit me quick and said 'definitely come here,'" Aldridge <a href="https://twitter.com/Krisplashed/status/1376997759023259649" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said Tuesday</a>.
The former Blazers and Spurs member has registered seven All-Star appearances in his career. But after being bought out by the Spurs, Aldridge enters Brooklyn with a different role.
"I'm not here to be an All-Star... I bring enough things to the team that should help, and that's all that matters," he said.&nbsp;
"It was about a role," he added, "and I felt I filled a void of a bigger 5 man that can score and play defense."
Aldridge was averaging 13.7 points and 4.5 rebounds with San Antonio this season. The Nets have now added Aldridge and Blake Griffin via the buyout market to bolster the frontcourt. At 32-15, Brooklyn is second in the Eastern Conference.

Aldridge was recently picked up by the Nets after the Spurs bought out his contract.

LaMarcus Aldridge: Kevin Durant said 'definitely come' to Brooklyn

Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis has been named by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to replace injured Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, which will be played on Sunday, March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.&nbsp;
Sabonis has earned his second straight NBA All-Star selection.&nbsp; He is averaging a career-high 21.5 points, 11.7 rebounds (fifth in the NBA) and a career-high 5.7 assists in 30 games this season.&nbsp; He joins NBA All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets and Julius Randle of the New York Knicks as the only players who are averaging at least 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.&nbsp; A five-year NBA veteran from Lithuania, Sabonis ranks second in the league in double-doubles with 24 and has recorded three triple-doubles.&nbsp;
Durant will not play in the NBA All-Star Game because of a left hamstring strain, which has caused him to miss the last six games.&nbsp; He is averaging 29.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 19 games.&nbsp; Durant was named an NBA All-Star Game starter and team captain, his 11th&nbsp;All-Star selection.
According to NBA rules, when a player selected to the All-Star Game is unable to participate, the Commissioner shall choose a replacement from the same conference as the player who is being replaced.&nbsp;&nbsp;Durant and Sabonis both play for Eastern Conference teams.
Durant will be replaced in the starter pool for the NBA All-Star Draft by Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, who was selected as an All-Star reserve.&nbsp; According to NBA rules, an injured All-Star Game starter is replaced in the starter pool for the NBA All-Star Draft by the All-Star reserve from the same conference and of the same position group who received the highest ranking in the voting for All-Star starters.&nbsp; Tatum will be selected with the starters in the first round of the NBA All-Star Draft, while Sabonis will be selected with the reserves in the second round.&nbsp; The NBA All-Star Draft will air on TNT on Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m. ET.
The 70th NBA All-Star Game is part of NBA All-Star 2021, which will take place on one night, March 7.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This is the second All-Star appearance for the Indiana Pacers' star.

Kevin