Nets’ Kevin Durant dominated out attributable to NBA well being and security protocols
A wierd scene unfolded at Barclays Middle when Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant didn’t begin the sport attributable to NBA well being and security protocols, then was cleared to play solely to in the end be pulled in the course of the third quarter and dominated out for the remainder of the night time.
Durant was dominated unavailable to start out shortly earlier than the Nets tipped off Friday in opposition to the Toronto Raptors due to COVID-19 contact tracing. After being cleared, Durant entered the sport on the 4:13 mark of the primary quarter.
Durant performed the remainder of the primary half and began the third quarter for Brooklyn. He was then faraway from the sport with 9:06 left within the third throughout a coach’s problem. Whereas play was stopped, Durant was seated within the bench space when cameras confirmed a Nets staff staffer method and inform him he was being dominated out. Durant was seen shaking in head in obvious exasperation as he headed to the locker room.
Shortly after, the staff introduced Durant wouldn’t return attributable to well being and security protocols, however didn’t present any extra particulars.
As the sport completed with out him, Durant took to Twitter from the locker room and tweeted, “Free me.”
Durant completed with eight factors, six rebounds and 5 assists in 19 minutes. He got here off the bench as a reserve for the primary time in 867 profession video games.
“It is robust to lose Kevin Durant twice in a single night time,” Nets coach Steve Nash mentioned throughout an ESPN interview after the third quarter. “It wasn’t simple, however we bought to be adaptable. That is the kind of season it will be, we have got quite a bit occurring in our world. We bought a variety of guys who can step up.”
Durant missed three video games final month whereas finishing a seven-day quarantine after being uncovered to somebody with coronavirus. Durant himself examined constructive for COVID-19 in March.
