The Brooklyn Nets announced that the knee injury Kevin Durant suffered on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans was a sprained MCL in his left knee.
Nets on Durant: pic.twitter.com/z7Wfr0KWdP
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 16, 2022
Brooklyn expects the two-time Finals MVP to be out for a four-six-week rehab period. ESPN reports that the Nets are setting a ‘realistic benchmark’ of Durant returning by the end of the Nets’ All-Star break on Feb. 24
The Nets come out of the All-Star break on February 24 and that’s a realistic benchmark for a Durant return, but clearly the organization will err on caution when it comes to a timeline with him. With 11 of next 14 on road, a lot of Kyrie Irving and James Harden together.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 16, 2022
The Nets play 11 of their next 19 games on the road, clearing the way for Kyrie Irving and James Harden to test themselves as a backcourt and lead the Nets to take on a heavy workload and work on their chemistry while Durant is absent. Without Durant, the Nets won 16 of 19 games last season when they had Irving and Harden together per ESPN Stats & Information.
Durant is a significant threat to win the MVP this season, averaging a League-leading 29.3 points, grabbing 7.4 rebounds, and dishing out 5.8 assists per game.
The Nets are second in the East at 27-15 as of Sunday, sitting a half-game behind the Chicago Bulls (27-14) for first place in the rejuvenated Eastern Conference.
