In a bizarre back-and-forth, Brooklyn Nets striker Kevin Durant’s night culminated in him being unexpectedly removed from Friday’s 123-117 loss to the Toronto Raptors in the third quarter due to health and safety protocols.
Durant was initially unavailable to start Friday’s game because someone he interacted with earlier in the day had an inconclusive test result for COVID-19, the league explained in a statement. He later left the bank and checked in at 4:13 in the first quarter.
“Durant was initially kept out of the game while the result was analyzed,” the statement said. “In accordance with the league’s health and safety protocols, we do not require a player to be quarantined until a close contact has a confirmed positive test.”
However, during the game, a positive result was returned to that person and Durant was removed from the game in the third quarter “very cautiously”, according to the league.
Durant tested negative for COVID-19 three times in the past 24 hours, including two PCR tests on Friday, the league said. Contact tracking is in progress to determine whether Durant was in fact a close contact with the positive test subject.
The rest of the Nets were cleared to travel to Philadelphia for Saturday’s game against the 76ers, but Durant will not make the trip, ESPN sources said Adrian Wojnarowski.
While sitting on a bench during a break, Durant was informed by a Nets official that he was being pulled out of the game. A visibly stunned Durant shook his head and as he walked down the tunnel to the locker room he threw a bottle of water in frustration.
Durant tweeted “Free me” shortly after being removed, he criticized the NBA in another tweet after the game.
Yo @nba, your fans are not stupid !!!! You can’t fool them with your RP Wack ass tactics. # FREE7 https://t.co/78N1iKFAoc
– Kevin Durant (@ KDTrey5) February 6, 2021
Durant finished with just 8 points from 3 of 8 shots in 19 minutes, plus 6 rebounds and 5 assists. He scored only the second time in the past 10 seasons that Durant failed to reach double digits, breaking a streak of 166 consecutive games. Durant scored zero points on February 28, 2017 against the Wizards, leaving the game 90 seconds after a knee injury.
Friday’s game also marked the first time Durant left the bench in his 13-year NBA career.
Moments before he was removed from the game, Durant was whistled for the fifth foul, but the Nets won the challenge to undo the mark. It is the first time in Durant’s career that he has ended a game with more fouls than field goals.
Durant, who had COVID-19 last March, is the NBA’s second-highest scorer, averaging 30.8 points per game. He had already lost three games in early January due to health and safety protocols.