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Nets Offer Kevin Durant Injury Update Before Facing Sixers

Kevin Durant addressed the media for the first time since going out with an injury on Tuesday before the Nets' game against the Sixers.
Justin Grasso|
Nets Offer Kevin Durant Injury Update Before Facing Sixers
Nets Offer Kevin Durant Injury Update Before Facing Sixers

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Philadelphia 76ersBrooklyn Nets

The Philadelphia 76ers are set to take on the Brooklyn Nets for the second time this season on Wednesday night. This time around, the Nets aren’t expected to have the services of their All-Star forward, Kevin Durant.

After spending 30 minutes on the court in the Nets’ January 8 game against the Miami Heat, Durant was diagnosed with an MCL sprain. As a result, Durant has missed the last six games for Brooklyn. 

The word around Brooklyn was that Durant would be re-evaluated in two weeks following his injury. That was the case on Tuesday, as the Nets’ organization offered an update on the star.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Durant is “making progress in his recovery,” and the plan is for him to be re-evaluated again in two weeks. The NBA Insider adds that Durant is optimistic he will return to action ahead of the All-Star game and could potentially play in the game as well.

With Durant out for at least the next two weeks, he’s already ruled out for Wednesday’s game between the Sixers and the Nets. The last time Durant faced the Sixers, he checked in for 36 minutes and produced 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists. The Sixers defeated the Nets by nine points.

On Wednesday, both teams will look different than their first meeting. Brooklyn will miss a star, while the Sixers will have at least two back in the fold. During the November 22 meeting between the Sixers and the Nets, Philadelphia missed James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid.

This time around, Maxey and Harden are back in the mix. Although Joel Embiid missed Philadelphia’s Saturday night matchup in Sacramento, there is a chance he could be back on the floor for the Sixers in South Philly on Wednesday night.

The Sixers and the Nets are set to tip off at 7:30 PM ET. on Wednesday. The earliest the Sixers could face Durant is on February 11 in Brooklyn. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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