The Brooklyn Nets will be without Kevin Durant at least Friday, as the star did not travel with the team on his three-game trip.
Coach Steve Nash said the decision was made because Durant is at a “critical” point in his rehabilitation for a left hamstring strain.
“We just felt like it didn’t benefit him to travel across the country while trying to get that last critical part of his rehab,” Nash said.
The Nets beat Portland Tuesday night, with Utah and Detroit in the next position before returning home to face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
Nash said the Nets ’consecutive games on Tuesday and Wednesday, in addition to the six-hour background flight, would not allow For a long time at the gym to do his exercises and receive treatment.
Nash reiterated that Durant keeps moving forward, is on the track every day and “looks fantastic.” Nash said that if the Nets were at a more critical time of the season, Durant would probably be about to return.
Still, with two months of regular-season games, Nash reiterated that the team is in no hurry to get Durant back.
“Kevin is fine,” Nash said. “If it was the playoffs, there’s going to be a chance he’ll come back very soon, but it doesn’t make sense to take a big risk when the most important thing is to get him back for the rest of the season.”
The Nets are sparse, with Landry Shamet, who sprained his right ankle against the Washington Wizards on Sunday, and Kyrie Irving, who is away from home for personal reasons, according to the team.
Nash said there is a chance Shamet, who did not travel with the team, would join the group in Detroit for Friday’s game.
Durant is out on Feb. 12 and averages 29 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 19 games he has played for Brooklyn.