Though the Nets had previously been optimistic that superstar forward Kevin Durant would return from his hamstring strain before the All-Star break, as the team announced on Friday afternoon, that won’t be the case.
Having already missed the last six games due to the injury, Durant will now be forced to sit out through the March 5-10 break.
“After a routine follow-up MRI on his left hamstring, it was determined that Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant will require an additional recovery period that will result in him remaining out through the NBA All-Star break,” the team said in a statement. “The latest images provided a clearer picture of the hamstring and while we are confident that Durant will return at full strength, this extra recovery time will allow him to perform at the level at which he has been playing this season once he returns.
“Durant will continue to undergo rehabilitation and will be re-assessed following the break.”
This, of course, means that Durant, the leading vote-getter in the East and a captain for the March 7 All-Star Game, will not be able to play in Atlanta.
Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis will replace Durant in the Eastern All-Star pool of players. However, he will come out of the reserve pool, while Boston's Jayson Tatum will take Durant's place in the starter pool, since he was the next highest vote-getter among forwards in the East.
Though it's a bit unclear, it's likely that Durant will still make the picks for his team.
"He's disappointed clearly," head coach Steve Nash said after the news broke. "He got himself through one of the most devastating injuries in basketball and is playing at an All-Star level, or even MVP level. And for it to get shut down for a little while is I think very disappointing for him.
"Having said that, it could always be worse. So we'll continue to monitor him and he's going to be back this season and we'll all be grateful when that time comes, but not until he's ready. ...We just have to be patient more than anything."
Nash had previously said as recently on Tuesday that he expected Durant back before the first half of action ended, though he did note that the team was in no way going to rush Durant back onto the floor.
“Yeah, I do,” Nash said Tuesday when asked if he expected Durant back before the break. “But again, we’re just trying to monitor and be cautious. We definitely have kind of slowed things down in that respect — not putting any pressure on him, not trying to rush him back in any capacity and just make sure that we give him the right amount of time to be more than healed, to be strong and conditioned to come back to the team.
“So we’re monitoring it. We’re not in a rush. But I don’t think he’ll be out until the All-Star break.”
Even without Durant in the lineup, the Nets have been on fire of late, winning eight straight games, including all six contests without Durant, as James Harden and Kyrie Irving have stepped up to lead Brooklyn into second place in the Eastern Conference, just a half-game behind Philadelphia.
