The Nets and Lakers are kicking off hot streaks on Thursday night (10:00 PM ET, TNT). Brooklyn is looking to extend its winning streak into four games, and Los Angeles has won eight of its last nine games. Both teams are full of talent and currently runner-up in their respective conference rankings. This competition could serve as a preview of the NBA finals.
Let’s hope this isn’t entirely the case as it would mean that some key players will not be able to qualify for the championship series.
While network guards Kyrie Irving and James Harden and Lakers forward LeBron James are expected to play, Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis will not be available when the teams meet at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. KD and AD are dealing with injuries, making basketball fans wonder if Brooklyn and LA will be crossing at full speed before the end of the regular season.
So what’s wrong with each player? Here are the latest updates on Durant and Davis.
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Why is Kevin Durant against Lakers?
The Nets announced on Sunday that Durant would miss at least two games (Monday versus Kings, Tuesday versus Suns) after being diagnosed with a slight strain on his left Achilles tendon. He was treated but is still considered eliminated for Thursday’s competition against the Lakers.
Durant is out for the sixth time in Brooklyn’s last seven games after missing three games under the NBA’s health and safety protocols earlier this month. He averages 29.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in his first real campaign with the Nets after being on hold for the entire last season while recovering from an Achilles injury.
Despite the unique challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and typical injury issues, Nets coach Steve Nash is optimistic that his squad can weather the storm.
“I think people are getting used to it,” said Nash on Tuesday. “We said it from the beginning of the year. So it will be this year. During a pandemic and with a soggy schedule, it’s impossible for things not to arise and arise almost continuously. I think the guys kind of knew this was.” the kind of season we’d face, and they’re … a bit deaf for that.
“The challenge is that we keep improving no matter who comes out every night. How can we get better at what we try so that we don’t give away games or weeks of the season? We are constant.” Approach problems, solve problems, and work towards a bigger goal. “
Why is Anthony Davis against Nets?
After Davis stepped off the ground in the second quarter of Sunday’s game between the Lakers and Nuggets, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Davis had exacerbated his right hamstring tendonitis, which had knocked him out of two games earlier this month. Fortunately for Davis and the Lakers, the MRI results didn’t show a rupture of the right Achilles tendon, but reportedly showed calf strain and confirmed the tendinitis.
According to Wojnarowski, Davis will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks. He added that Davis is “unlikely” to return to play before the 2021 All-Star hiatus. If he stayed on that timeline, Davis would miss at least nine games.
(TO UPDATE: According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Lakers trainer Frank Vogel told reporters after the game that Davis would be absent four weeks after doctors reassessment of the injury Thursday night.)
“To me, all I care about is health,” James said when asked about Davis’ injury. “I want him to be healthy. Our team needs him to be healthy. He has to make sure that he takes all precautions, everything, his diligence about what happens to his injury and is right when he comes back. ” .
“No rush, no schedule. We have no idea about this aspect, but we just want him to be healthy and back to full strength.”
Nets vs. Lakers Injury Report
(Currently on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET)
| team | player | status | reason |
| Networks | Nicolas Claxton | out | Right knee; Tendinopathy |
| Networks | Spencer Dinwiddie | out | Right knee; partially torn ACL |
| Networks | Kevin Durant | out | Left achilles tendon; burden |
| Networks | Kyrie Irving | Available | Lower back; Tightness |
| Networks | Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot | Available | Right knee; Pain |
| Networks | Reggie Perry | out | G League; in both directions |
| Networks | Iman Shumpert | out | Left achilles tendon; burden |
| Lakers | Costas Antetokounmpo | out | Right knee; Patellar tendinitis |
| Lakers | Anthony Davis | out | Right calf; burden |
| Lakers | Lebron James | Probably | Left ankle; sprain |
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