The highly anticipated matchup of the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets is set for Thursday night in a potential 2021 NBA Finals preview. Unfortunately for everybody involved, Kevin Durant won't be playing in the game (via Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated).

Kyrie Irving will return most likely, but Durant will remain out with that hamstring injury in a huge matchup with the Lakers. The talented trio of Irving, Durant, and James Harden was set to make their first appearance against the defending champions. However, they will have to wait for Durant to be healthy.

The Lakers won the NBA Finals last October and came into the year as favorites to repeat in 2021. The injury to Anthony Davis has many people second-guessing if they have what it takes to go all the way, even though he is projected to return around the All-Star break. 

Article Continues Below
Related News
Noa Essengue
Nets’ dark-horse No. 8 pick candidate rising up draft boardsErik Slater ·
Julius Randle playing for the Timberwolves. T-Wolves logo in background.
Ranking 3 best Julius Randle free-agency destinations if he leaves TimberwolvesBailey Bassett ·
image thumbnail
Nets hosting sleeper prospect for pre-draft workout after stellar combine performanceErik Slater ·
Cam Johnson number 2 photoshopped in Spurs jersey.
Spurs offseason trade proposal for Cam Johnson involving lottery pickBailey Bassett ·
Cam Johnson (with his jersey number), photoshopped in Rockets jersey.
Rockets trade proposal for Cam Johnson as Nets pursue lottery pickBailey Bassett ·
image thumbnail
Nets assistant among finalists for Suns head coach positionErik Slater ·

The matchup between Durant and LeBron is a long time in coming and would be the first since Durant joined the Nets after heading East from the Golden State Warriors.

LeBron and Durant went head-to-head in the NBA Finals with their former teams and they have both been playing at MVP-caliber levels to start the season. Durant has averages of 29 points, 7.3 boards, and 5.3 assists in 19 games for the Nets, and has missed time with health and safety protocols as well as injuries.

James is averaging 25.7 points with 8.2 rebounds and 7.9 assists and has yet to miss a game as the Lakers sit behind the Utah Jazz for the top spot in the Western Conference.

The Lakers and Nets matchup has been circled on calendars everywhere and even more so after Brooklyn acquired Harden in January. The Big 3's debut versus King James will have to wait for a healthy Durant and a healthy Davis for that matter.