Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant will undergo an MRI on Monday morning after suffering a knee injury on Sunday night. Durant hit the floor during the third quarter of the Nets’ game against the Miami Heat.
As Jimmy Butler went to the rim, he collided with Ben Simmons and fell awkwardly onto Durant’s knee. The Nets star writhed in pain on the floor for a few moments but remained in the game.
After going up and down the floor, the team took Durant out of the game. The Nets called timeout and Durant went straight back to the locker room. He didn’t return for the rest of the game.
“I was right there. Those plays are scary,” Nets guard Kyrie Irving said after the game. “Because when someone’s not looking [at] what’s going on, anything can happen in those moments, so I’m grateful that all that time he’s put in the weight room, putting his body in a great position, his body was able to save him from something worse.”
“He’s in good spirits as we all are,” Irving further said of Durant. “The strength of our team is us picking each other up. Just being ready for whatever’s thrown at us. … I think one of the greatest qualities of our team is our bench and the way we support each other, despite who’s in the lineup. And now it’s time to go out and exemplify that until we find out the timeline with K and when he could be available again. So we just got to be mature about it.”
Durant didn’t speak with reporters after the game. The Nets are currently 27-13 after winning 18 of their last 20 games.
Check out the play that resulted in Kevin Durant’s injury below.
The Nets say that Kevin Durant is OUT for the remainder of Nets-Heat due to a right knee injury after Jimmy Butler fell on his knee on this play.
Prayers up to KD
pic.twitter.com/v0PPP9Hfe1
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 9, 2023
[Via]