Nets' Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, LaMarcus Aldridge Cleared From COVID-19 Protocols

Nets forwards Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge and guard Kyrie Irving have been cleared from the NBA's health and safety protocols, the team announced Tuesday. 

Durant and Irving were placed in the protocols on Dec. 18, while Aldridge entered on Dec. 14. 

Coach Steve Nash said Monday that Durant has a “good chance” to rejoin the team for Thursday’s game against the Sixers.

Irving's status, however, remains more in question. 

Less than a day before entering the health and safety protocols, the Nets announced they would bring the All-Star guard back as a part-time player “for games and practices in which he is eligible to participate." He is currently unable to play home games due to a current New York City vaccination requirement. 

Nash said that Irving, in addition to clearing protocols, would need to work back to fitness, which he said could take up to two weeks.

Irving has not practiced with the team all season.

“It's hard to say, but I would say probably somewhere between a week and two weeks,” Nash said. “He’s obviously been isolating so that kind of puts another layer to the ramp-up. It’s not like he’s been working out so probably I’d imagine it’s going to be closer to two weeks once he comes out of protocols.

“We’ll just have to see how it goes, though, because we have to evaluate him from a physical and performance standpoint and a basketball standpoint as well.”

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Durant has played in 27 games this season and is averaging 29.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. 

Aldridge has appeared in 25 contests, averaging 14 points and 5.7 rebounds.

Brooklyn enters Thursday's contest with Philadelphia 23–9 on the season and in first-place in the Eastern Conference. 

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