76ers Playoff Watch: Brooklyn Nets Star Kyrie Irving Suffers Minor Setback

The Eastern Conference playoff picture is beginning to form as the final week of the 2020-2021 regular season quickly concludes. Although the Philadelphia 76ers didn't clinch the top seed just yet on Tuesday, the odds of them getting it done later this week are quite high.

Right behind the Sixers are the Brooklyn Nets. This season, Brooklyn's stars have dealt with their fair share of injuries, but they remained one of the most powerful teams in the Eastern Conference.

Just as the playoffs are approaching, the Nets are starting to get healthy at the right time. However, there's been a slight setback for one of Brooklyn's most notable stars, though. In Tuesday night's game against the Chicago Bulls, Nets star Kyrie Irving suffered a facial injury, which forced him to leave the game early.

Following the Nets' victory over Chicago, Brooklyn's head coach Steve Nash addressed the media with some questionable news. According to ESPN's Malika Andrews, Irving's initial X-ray returned inconclusive results.

On Wednesday, Irving had to undergo tests once again. Per Brooklyn's Wednesday afternoon injury report, Irving was diagnosed with a facial contusion. His status for Wednesday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs is questionable. 

Wednesday's matchup was set to be an interesting one for Brooklyn. Throughout the season, the Nets rarely had all three of their most notable stars on the floor together as Irving, Kevin Durant, and James Harden have each dealt with personal setbacks.

After missing the last 18 games*, Harden is expected to return for the Nets against San Antonio. Durant is expected to play as well. As for Irving, he might take the night off as he hasn't received the green light to play. 

While the Nets have the star power to make it far in the playoffs, the chemistry between the franchise's cornerstone players remains a significant question mark as they struggle to get on the floor together. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_ & Instagram: @JGrassoNBA.