The Brooklyn Nets were dealt a brutal blow after it was reported that Kevin Durant is expected to spend some time on the sidelines due to an MCL sprain in his knee. KD suffered the injury during the Nets' win against the Miami Heat on Sunday night when Jimmy Butler fell on his knee. Right now, the Nets will need to navigate the next few weeks without their superstar in the mix.
There is a silver lining to this injury, though. NBA insider Shams Charania recently provided an update on Durant's injury status, and while there's no denying that this is a serious injury, there is still reason for Nets fans to remain optimistic here:
“It's an MCL sprain injury in that knee and he’s gonna be out at least three to four weeks,” Shams said. “The good news for the Nets is that this MCL sprain is not as severe as it was last season. There's optimism around the team that he will be able to play before the All-Star break. Maybe in a few games and then play in the game itself in Salt Lake City.”
Shams also pointed out that Durant has been “super durable” this season in that he's only missed a single game prior to this knee injury. Charania adds that the Nets are in a better position at the moment to be without KD as compared to last season. At 27-13, they are currently second in the Eastern Conference and are just 1.5 games behind the top-seeded Boston Celtics. It's going to be a tough next few weeks for the Nets without Kevin Durant, but they do have the necessary tools to find some level of success in his absence.