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We've been monitoring the updates on Kevin Durant's Nets return so closely because, well, he's Kevin Durant.
As of today the Brooklyn Nets are 8th in the standings with a 31-29 record. The problem here is that if the season ended now, Brooklyn would be on the road in Toronto for a single-game elimination Play-In match, without Kyrie Irving. Their star guard can play on road games normally, but an exception to that rule is any game played in Canada. So even if New York City makes a key change to vaccine mandate rules, that wouldn't help Kyrie and co. when traveling that far North.
All of that conspires to make Durant's return even more crucial.
Before the most recent 129-106 loss to the Boston Celtics, Nets coach Steve Nash made it seem like KD was getting closer.
“Yeah, he played, he’s playing,” Nash said. “I would say he’s had one [high intensity workout] so we’ll see. He seems like he’s getting there and we’ll see how he responds tomorrow, and then we’ll try and get him his subsequent workouts.”
Nash added that it would be tough for his MVP caliber forward to play within the next “3 or 4 days,” last Thursday, but now we have even more clarity on that situation.
Speaking with reporters at Saturday's shoot around at Marquette University, ahead of their pending showdown vs. the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks, Nash said he's confident the 9-time All-NBA talent will be ready to play within a week.
Per Alex Schiffer, of The Athletic, reporting from Wisconsin:
Steve Nash has no updates on Joe Harris. Adds Kevin Durant will return within the next week.
— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) February 26, 2022
Let's assume this means Durant is closer to the end of this week than the beginning. The team has a home-and-home, back-to-back set vs. Toronto on Mon. and Tue. next week. But then the Nets are home at Barclays Center vs. the Miami Heat on Mar. 3rd.
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Nash was asked specifically if Durant might play vs. the Bucks back on Thursday. “I’m sure it’s possible, but for me it’s probably again, in the next three games, more likely than in Saturday,” Nash said. And sure enough, KD was ruled out ahead of this game vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Deer.
Goran Dragic on the other hand sounds like he's set to make his Nets debut.
Nets officially update Goran Dragić to available for tonight’s game. He’s talking to us now. Said his minutes will come down to how he’s feeling.
— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) February 26, 2022
So if you were setting odds, you might conclude things are shaping up for KD's return to come three games from now vs. Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and the Heat. That would give KD, rehabbing a sprained MCL, injured back on Jan. 15, the full three games Nash mentioned, and another six days to meet that “within the week” mark.
If KD needed more than a full week for his knee to heal, then he could make his return March 6 in Boston.
Either way, the Nets are beginning to feel some pressure. Nash admitted that while they try to take things one game at a time, they are feeling the “urgency” from playing so many games this season shorthanded.
“We know there's urgency. We know that we're not gonna have half a season to kinda figure this thing out. We're gonna be up against the clock,” Nash said.
The clock is ticking on this team if they want to avoid the Play-In. But the flip side means the clock is ticking down towards the return of someone who might just be the best player on the planet when fully healthy.
