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The Brooklyn Nets may have James Harden on Christmas however Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving stay in well being and security protocols and have been dominated out for Saturday’s sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Nets coach Steve Nash stated Harden will play in opposition to the Lakers and the Nets will even have ahead DeAndre’ Bembry, swingman Bruce Brown and ahead James Johnson. All three Nets have been cleared from well being and security protocols.
The Nets nonetheless have seven gamers in well being and security protocols, together with Durant, Irving and LaMarcus Aldridge. Cam Thomas, David Duke Jr., Kessler Edwards and Day’Ron Sharpe are the opposite Nets in protocols.
Nash stated that any Internet who’s cleared from protocols might nonetheless rejoin the crew later in Los Angeles, the place the Nets play the Clippers on Dec. 27. Issues stay fluid for the Nets, who had their final three video games postponed.
“We simply do the perfect we will,” Nash stated earlier than the crew flew to Los Angeles on Friday. “We acquired quite a lot of guys coming off prolonged break. No one’s in nice situation so now we have to handle the group, attempt to be as aggressive as doable and on the identical time, watch out, guys popping out and enjoying the sport after an absence like that is tough.
“We’ll do what we will. A variety of these selections are nonetheless to be made, earlier than the sport, through the sport, as the sport goes on. We simply need to be very fluid, adaptable and an awesome angle and take it as a chance.”
Nash did say that Irving is not going to be a part of the crew on this two-game highway journey to Southern California. The purpose guard nonetheless has to ramp up as soon as he’s cleared from protocol earlier than he could make his season debut. The Nets have not seen Irving on the courtroom but since deciding to let the purpose guard return to the crew as a part-time participant final week. Irving went into well being and security protocols on Dec. 18 together with Durant.
“No, we have not,” Nash stated, when requested if he has seen Irving on the courtroom but. “He is nonetheless in protocols. And he wants ramp up, so we cannot see Kyrie on this journey.”
Irving has not been with the crew frequently for the reason that first week of coaching camp at first of October. The crew determined again through the preseason to not have their level guard be a part-time participant, since Irving can not play in video games at Barclays Middle due to New York Metropolis’s vaccine mandate.
Since Irving can not play house video games, the Nets must wait till one other highway journey for his or her level guard to probably return. After these two upcoming video games in Los Angeles, the Nets are usually not on the highway once more till Jan. 5 at Indiana. After that, they do not play one other highway sport till Jan. 12 at Chicago.
If Irving is not again by then, a highway sport at Cleveland on Jan. 17 could possibly be a chance as nicely. The Nets, although, are starting to lastly get our bodies again. Harden will play in his first sport since enjoying in opposition to Atlanta on Dec. 10. And Nash stated middle Nic Claxton (wrist) will likely be accessible to play on Saturday.
The Nets have been capable of collect for a lightweight apply on Friday morning after shutting issues down earlier this week with as many as 10 gamers on well being and security protocols. Level guard Patty Mills says the Nets’ pause has felt “like a mini offseason.”
“In a sure approach, now we have been coping with totally different elements of adversity all through the entire season,” Mills stated. “On-court, off-court, COVID protocols, accidents, no matter it might be. That is simply one other a type of obstacles within the highway, I feel.
“The vibe in the present day in comparison with the way it has been the entire week, to see everybody once more, it felt like a mini offseason, after which, ‘Alright, let’s get again to enterprise.’ There’s nonetheless quite a lot of work minimize out for us figuring out who continues to be out and but to return again.”
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