All-Star forward Kevin Durant could return from his sprained left knee MCL as soon as this Thursday or Saturday, Nets head coach Steve Nash indicated, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. Durant has been sidelined since injuring his knee on January 5.
“We’re hopeful that he can play this week,” Nash said. “So Kevin’s getting close, which is exciting.”
In the 36 games he has been healthy, Durant has been his typical All-NBA self for the Nets. This season, he is averaging 29.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 5.8 APG, with shooting splits of .520/.372/.894.
“He’s going to come back and impact the game every way possible,” new Nets starting center Andre Drummond said of Durant. “I think with our chemistry together on the floor, it’s going to make it very difficult for teams to pick their poison, with who they want to guard, along with Kyrie [Irving], Seth [Curry] and when Ben [Simmons] comes back. And we go on the list of our roster, we have a lot of threats.”
There’s more out of the City That Never Sleeps:
- Rich Paul, the agent for new Nets addition Ben Simmons, told Brian Windhorst of ESPN (video link) that Simmons should be thought of as “week-to-week” with back soreness as he works his way into game shape ahead of his 2021/22 season debut. Windhorst expressed uncertainty about whether Simmons would even be ready at any point in March for Brooklyn, suggesting that he’s “frankly not close” to debuting for his new team.
- With Knicks wing Quentin Grimes unavailable for much of the remaining season, new swingman Cam Reddish finally has a path to regular rotation minutes in New York, per Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “I’m trying to work my way in,” Reddish said. “Just trying to make the right play, really. Not trying to force it too much. But yeah, I think the last 20 games are definitely a good spot to start.” In 11 games with New York thus far, Reddish is averaging 5.4 PPG, 1.0 RPG and 0.7 SPG across 12.5 MPG.
- With the 25-36 Knicks seemingly stuck on the outside of the play-in race looking in, rookie reserve center Jericho Sims has been getting some run as New York looks towards the future, per Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “[Sims is] a great kid, great worker, getting better day by day,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said Tuesday. “Very diligent. Comes in and watches film and wants to do well. So I think this experience is really good for him.” Sims has displaced Nerlens Noel in the rotation as Noel continues to grapple with a plantar fasciitis injury. 36-year-old veteran center Taj Gibson has also been a healthy scratch for the last two games in favor of the No. 58 pick in the 2021 draft.
He never got in shape all this time???! I guess Sixers never really wanted him to either knowing he will be traded to a contender…
What kind of a insensitive comment is that, Michol?
The man was suffering from mental illness – miraculously cured the day he was traded. His prorated salary for 2022 is a measly $15 million or so over the next 6-15 weeks…depending on how his team does in the playoffs. You expect him to be in any physical condition to earn that money after what he’s been through? Have you no consideration for your fellow man? I can honestly say that there is an injustice here.
I think the back soreness is just an easy way to limit the expectations on Simmons coming to Brooklyn…
This way he has an “excuse” why he’s taking so long to get back into game shape, and it’ll allow him time to have the expectations die down a little, so he doesn’t feel so much pressure to perform right away for the Nets..
Also, I have to disagree with the sentiment that he doesn’t have performance anxiety. [Insert joke here] lol…Seriously though, he’s one of the most physically gifted bigs the league has seen, yet he cannot hit a free throw nor even force himself to take a 3point shot..
I think it got too much for him to bear in Philly, to the point where he was even passing up open shots around the bucket.
It is no different than a major league pitcher coming down with a case of the “Yips.” Your mind doesn’t allow your body to function freely nor properly because that stress has put up a road block between the two..
For those interested I highly recommend reading the following article about now relief ace and postseason hero for for Braves Tyler Matzek, but he was once a very promising young highly sought after starting pitcher for the Rockies who almost lost his career OUT OF NOWHERE due to a form of mental stress and performance anxiety.
theringer.com/year-in-review/2021/12/30/22855842/tyler-matzek-atlanta-braves-world-series-champion-yips-journey
Or: he doesn’t play in the game against Philly
Bens got a weak back about a week back
Comment of the week
Poor,poor Ben
Sims looks raw but promising. Tries hard out there. Ya like to see it.
Sims steadily kept doing good things, but he was breathing hard… Thibs will test a guy. He wants his guys to be small-w warriors
Already people saying his nets teammates don’t like Simmons. Good luck
& you believe that? SMH!
Even for a PHI fan that is very naive… If you like I have an ocean front condo in San Antonio that I would be happy to sell you for a great price my friend!
Yeah curry and Drummond went through his whatever it is philly, so yeah there’s a good chance some of his teammates do not like him.
Simmons ain’t coming back this season.
Nets know that.
That’s why we had to give up Curry and Drummond plus the picks to try keep their slim hopes in the playoffs alive.
Nets vs Sixers playoff match up would be really entertaining. KD would cook Harris but Embiid would walk all over Drummond. Thybulle would do a solid job on Kyrie but who stops Harden? Nets would have to play big with KD at the 3 and LA at the 4, making Thybulle on KD and Harden on Kyrie. Then atleast defensively they can throw two bodies at Embiid and have KD on Harden. Then off the bench Mills Thomas (possibly Joe Harris) Griffin Johnson they would have the advantage. Danny Green would have to really pop off but it would be hella entertaining
I sure hope Simmons isn’t getting paid to sit all year!!
Why? How much of his salary do you pay?
I lol’d…good one
As soon as the Sixers game is over they should cue to Chuck. “He’s healthy now.”
Who’s gonna guard Maxey?
curry, ha ha