Brooklyn Nets star point guard Kyrie Irving has been ruled out for his fourth consecutive regular-season game, adding to the growing total as he is expected to miss today's matchup against the New York Knicks. Irving was spotted at a birthday party without wearing a mask this week.

His actions could potentially break the NBA's COVID-19 health protocols, causing him to miss even more games this season. However, Jason Dumas of Kron4News reported that Irving would be willing to miss the rest of the season if that is what is needed:

As a result, the Nets acquiring James Harden has become very important to the Nets' success. If they can not rely on Irving to facilitate the offense, they are hoping that former teammates Durant and Harden can make up for the floor general's absence.

If Irving continues to miss games for the rest of the season, the Nets would lose a confident ball-handler and a talented scorer, potentially diminishing what the offense can produce each game. However, Durant and Harden, two of the most dangerous offensive players in the league, can lead the team to the top of the Eastern Conference.

This journey will be a lot more difficult without Irving on the court, but first-time head coach Steve Nash can not let Irving's personal decisions affect the Nets' performance.