On January 17, Beijing time, the Nets officially announced that through the MRI examination, Kevin Durant was diagnosed with a sprain of the medial collateral ligament of the left knee, and after a period of rehabilitation, he is expected to fully recover his health. Subsequently, ESPN reporter Warnaroski said that the Nets are optimistic that Durant will return to the game in 4-6 weeks. So far this season, Durant has played 36 games for the Nets, averaging 36.5 minutes per game, contributing 29.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
How serious is Durant's injury?
In the second quarter of yesterday's 120-105 win over the Pelicans, The Pelicans' Jones knocked down the Nets' Brown, who fell backwards on Durant's knee, causing the injury. Durant played 12 minutes before leaving the court, scored 12 points, limped back into the locker room, and the Nets announced he would miss the game.
How serious was his injury? Medical expert Rajpal Brar said ESPN reported that the expected recovery cycle is 4-6 weeks, meaning that Durant is likely to suffer a second-degree sprain, the same as the previous thick eyebrow injury. The good news is that the recovery is expected to be good due to the abundant blood supply in the area. Another medical expert, Nirav Pandya, also gave the recovery period for sprains of different levels, the first degree (minor tear of the ligament) is 1-2 weeks, the second degree (partial tear of the ligament) is 4-6 weeks, and the third degree (complete tear of the ligament) is 3 months.
League injury specialist Jeff Stotts said that from the perspective of NBA players, the first-degree sprain recovery period for this injury averages 17 days, with an average of 8.5 games missed; the second-degree sprain recovery period is an average of 41 days, with an average of 21 games missed.
Durant suffered the same injury in his first season with the Warriors when teammate Pachulia fell on him, causing Durant to suffer a secondary sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee and a bruise in his tibia, eventually missing 19 games but returning in the playoffs and winning the 2017 Finals MVP.
What is the impact of Durant's injury?
For Durant personally, the injury is undoubtedly a multiple blow. First, he may not be able to participate in the All-Star Game. The 2022 All-Stars are scheduled to take place on February 21, Beijing time, just about 5 weeks away. While Durant is likely to make a comeback in 4-6 weeks, it is not excluded that Durant himself and the team, out of prudence, let him miss this game and leave more rest time to ensure that nothing goes wrong.
Second, Nets reporter Alex Schiffer believes that this long-term injury may lead to Durant eventually missing out on the regular season MVP. 'Like last season, he's been playing like an MVP and if he hadn't been injured last season, he would have won the award.'
For the Nets, it is also a big blow, after all, Durant is the Nets' number one offensive firepower, and without such a big killer as him, the Nets will undoubtedly face huge pressure. Schiffer said it couldn't have been worse judging by the timing of the injury. Because the Nets are about to embark on a four-game road trip, 11 of the next 13 games will be away. Irving can play these 11 games, which should be the best time for the Big Three and the whole team to run in, but they once again missed the opportunity to improve the team's chemistry.
ESPN data shows that since the Nets exchanged Harden, they have played 113 games (including the playoffs), and of these 113 games, only 16 (14%) of the games Harden, Durant and Irving can play at the same time.
Who will stand up for the Nets?
After Durant's injury, Harden will undoubtedly have a bigger mission, who will stand up for the Nets? Schiffer's answer was Owen. In the weeks that followed, Irving played a lot of playing time, which could alleviate Harden's scoring and organizational pressure. In addition to Irving and Harden, Schiffer believes that two others may have an outbreak in Durant's absence. One is veteran Mills and the other is rookie Thomas.
Mills has averaged 13.4 points, 2 rebounds and 2.6 assists so far this season, shooting 42.1 percent from three-point range, and Thomas is getting better, scoring 20+ in three of his last four games, and his scoring ability is what the Nets need. Another piece of good news is that Joe Harris is closer to his comeback, and his return can also reduce the pressure for Irving and Harden.
For the Nets, if Irving and Harden can play together stably, the record may not be too worried. Last season, Irving and Harden joined forces, and Durant could not play a total of 19 games, the Nets 16-3. Harden's single-core team is 4 wins and 2 losses, and Irving's single-core team is 4 wins and 5 losses. What kind of state will the Nets, who are absent from Durant, continue to move forward? Let's wait and see.