The Brooklyn Nets will be without Kevin Durant until at least Friday, as the star has not traveled with the team on his three-game trip.
Coach Steve Nash said the decision was made because Durant is at a “critical” point in his rehabilitation for a left tendon injury.
“We feel that it did not benefit him to travel around the country while trying to finish the last critical part of his rehabilitation,” said Nash.
The Nets won in Portland on Tuesday night, with Utah and Detroit following, before returning home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
Nash said the Nets’ consecutive games on Tuesday and Wednesday, in addition to the six-hour cross-country flight, would not allow Durant much time at the gym to do his exercises and receive treatment.
Nash reiterated that Durant continues to make progress, is on the court every day and “looks great”. Nash said that if the Nets are at a more critical point in the season, Durant will likely be close to returning.
With two months of regular season games remaining, however, Nash reiterated that the team is in no hurry to bring Durant back.
“Kevin is doing great,” said Nash. “If it were the playoffs, there is a chance that he would be back very soon, but there is no point in taking a big risk with him when the most important thing is to get him back for the rest of the season.”
The Nets are short of players, without Landry Shamet, who sprained his right ankle against the Washington Wizards on Sunday, and Kyrie Irving, who is out for personal reasons, according to the team.
Nash said there was a possibility that Shamet, who did not travel with the team, would join the group in Detroit for Friday’s game.
Durant has been out since February 12 and has an average of 29 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 19 games he played for Brooklyn.