NBA: Kevin Durant left the game twice due to Covid-19 protocols

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The two-time champion, who is usually a starting player for the Nets, was Removed of the initial formation to face the Toronto Raptors after someone with whom Durant had interacted in the afternoon had a conclusive result in the Covid-19 test shortly before the match.
According to the NBA website, he was detained while this result was reviewed.

Finally, the ten-time All-Star was allowed to enter the first quarter. Still, the drama didn’t end there.

While marching off the court during the game against the Toronto Raptors.

Later, Durant’s close contact tested positive. In the third quarter, the 32-year-old was told he had to leave the match and was seen throwing a frustrated bottle of water as he headed towards the locker room.

The most valuable player in the 2014 NBA, he played a total of 19 minutes in the game later he tweeted: “Release me”.

With the uncertainty surrounding Durant’s state clouding the game, the Nets fought for consistency against the Raptors, ending up falling 123-117.

And after the defeat, Nets head coach Steve Nash suggested that Durant’s constantly changing situation affects his own judgment, which in turn hampered his team.

“If I’m honest, I probably didn’t handle it very well, I was just trying to juggle all these balls, all this different information,” he told the media.

“I was probably a little distracted when I thought about what it means for our team in the long run … But it will be the way it will be this year. difficulties that we will have to face this year and that will be similar for everyone, so we must try to adapt and be able to recover from small setbacks like this “.

It was Durant’s first appearance as a reserve in his 867 NBA games. Previously, he tested positive for coronavirus in March and has already missed three games this season due to Covid-19 protocols.

Pascal Siakam and Chris Boucher of the Raptors defend against Durant.

Durant’s teammate James Harden, who joined the team recently after his Houston Rockets blockbuster, expressed frustration with the situation.

“We followed the protocols that put us to the test every day, so I didn’t understand everything I couldn’t play and then he came to a court and then they brought him back,” he told the media.

“It’s a little overwhelming, especially when we’re in the middle of a tough game, and those games will add up, especially if we talk about the playoff rankings.”

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The Nets, who now have a 14-10 record, have been allowed to travel to Philadelphia to play their game against the 76ers on Saturday.

According to ESPN, Durant will not travel with the team during the game and could miss out on several games for the second time in a month.

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