It was announced earlier on Monday that Kevin Durant of the Nets will be sitting out a Tuesday game against the Utah Jazz this week, related to COVID-19. Now, he's going to sit out a full week.
This is a notable disruption to an NBA star's season. It is part of the new normal in sports, as the United States continues to wrestle with the coronavirus pandemic.
Let's briefly recap: Earlier on Monday, it was determined that Kevin Durant would miss the upcoming game against the Jazz due to the coronavirus health and safety protocols set in place by the NBA:
The Brooklyn Nets say Kevin Durant is out for Tuesday's matchup against the Utah Jazz due to the NBA's coronavirus health and safety protocols. pic.twitter.com/dlRZ5hlKmx
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 4, 2021
Now, there's even more detail to add: Kevin Durant will have to quarantine for seven days due to possible exposure to COVID-19:
Nets star Kevin Durant is expected to require seven days of quarantine before returning to action due to contact tracing/exposure to COVID-19, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 4, 2021
Aside from his sidelining for Tuesday, Durant has remained healthy overall through his first six games of the season. Head coach Steve Nash has made sure to rest him when necessary to avoid fatigue and putting the All-NBA scorer at further risk of injury.
During his first six games, Kevin Durant has averaged 28.2 points, seven rebounds and 4.8 assists per game through 34.2 minutes of playing time. He's also been extremely efficient from the field as he's connected on 45 percent of his 3-pointers while shooting 51 percent from the field overall. He and Kyrie Irving have been able to prove for the most part they they're able to mesh well on the floor despite past rumblings of the chemistry issues that may loom.
The Nets are currently 3-4 after dropping a close game to the Washington Wizards on Sunday. Many times throughout the game, the Nets seemed to not be on one accord, which often resulted in a few careless turnovers. The final play came down to two missed shots in clutch time from both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant on the same possession.