Kevin Durant was left out of Friday night’s rematch in Cleveland due to recovery from injury from Achilles surgery. It’s essentially load management after the Nets star recorded more than 50 minutes in the double loss in Wednesday’s overtime at the Cavaliers.
With the Nets hosting Heat Saturday at the end of a straight fight, Durant must face Miami. But he left the Nets short of manpower during the 125-113 loss to the Cavaliers, with point guard James Harden (19 points, 11 assists) starting as a striker alongside Joe Harris (eight points, seven rebounds). It was Harden’s first NBA defense career start, and it gave the Nets a death row on the East Coast.
“We will try to play with at least 10 guys, split the minutes,” said coach Steve Nash. “Obviously, as I said before the last game, it is difficult to contain [minutes] sometimes, when you’re in closed games. But we will do our best and also try to develop a second unit.
“There are some good points in trying to play more faces, go deeper in the rotation, limit or share or spread the minutes of our big three; Kyrie [Irving] and James. We will try to be as cautious as possible. But you know my opinion on that. Whenever you are trying to be cautious, it always ends up being impossible. “
Durant was listed as questionable on Friday morning, then demoted out. He has an average of 31.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and six assists to get into the MVP and Player of the Year Comeback conversation. And considering his 18-month layoff, the Nets are expected to be cautious with him.
Apparently, Durant ended Charles Barkley’s hot interpretations of “Inside the NBA”. He gave Barkley a short one-word answer to a question after the Nets’ victory over Golden State at the opening of the season, so it was much more difficult on Friday. And it is the custom of Durant, came on social networks.
After Etan Thomas of BasketballNews.com wrote an Instagram post about Barkley’s recent comments that NBA players should receive preferential treatment for the COVID-19 vaccine because they pay so much in taxes, Durant replied in the comments: “ I don’t know why they still ask for this idiot’s opinion. “
It is not the first time that the “Inside the NBA” team has raised some eyebrows recently for modern players. Shaquille O’Neal had a strange interview with Utah star Donovan Mitchell, telling the latter that he did not believe that red hot jazz could take his game to the next level. Mitchell simply replied, “Okay …”
Durant appeared to refer to the exchange in another Instagram post, saying “Those old heads need to go and enjoy retirement. These boys have coaches that they work with every day lol. “
Lakers star LeBron James also commented, “There is a difference between constructive criticism and mild hatred. I saw both things happen in my path, especially hate. You can hear it in their delivery. “
The Nets received a $ 5.7 million disabled player exception for the loss of point guard Spencer Dinwiddie. Atlético was the first to denounce the DPE, which was confirmed by the Post.
Although the Nets have until April 19 to use DPE, if using it on a player who has been discharged, he would have to be discharged by April 9 to be eligible for the playoffs. Brooklyn will have two open spots in the squad after adding Norvel Pelle.