Brooklyn Nets F Kevin Durant out 2 games with hamstring strain

The Brooklyn Nets are shutting down Kevin Durant for at least two games after the superstar forward suffered a mild hamstring strain.

Kevin Durant recently returned from COVID-19 protocols to rejoin his teammates, but the Brooklyn Nets will be without the superstar once again. The team announced that Durant will miss the next two games (Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns) due to a “mild left hamstring strain.”

The Nets announce that Kevin Durant will miss at least two games with a strained left hamstring: pic.twitter.com/VGerLLN443

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 15, 2021

Don’t sound the alarms yet Nets fans. All season long, the Nets have been careful with Durant and it’s worked out so far. After sitting out for over a week due to COVID-19 protocols, Durant is easing back into it.

On the bright side, Durant could return for a matchup with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. The Nets and Lakers are favorites to reach the NBA Finals and this upcoming game could serve as a preview for a seven-game series.

Obviously, that’s a long way off, but fans would love to see LeBron James and Anthony Davis go head to head with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden.

Long-Term Concerns?

In a vacuum, the Nets can afford to lose Durant for a few games here and there. Making sure he’s healthy for a deep postseason run is a top priority for the organization. As long as Durant, Irving, and Harden are full-strength for the playoffs, Brooklyn has to like their chance at an NBA Finals appearance at the very least.

However, we have seen superteams like this fail in the playoffs due to a lack of chemistry and rhythm on the court. It happened to Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and the Los Angeles Clippers last season.

To be fair, the Nets are 5-1 in games where all three of Durant, Irving, and Harden play, but they are far from a finished product. Again, there is no need to freak out about this injury to Durant. Still, the Nets will need to ramp it up post-All-Star break.