Article looks at Kevin Durant’s injury, how many games he will probably miss, and what should be expected with the Nets in his absence.
Kevin Durant’s injury: Brooklyn Net’s antepost
The Brooklyn Nets took a win off of Miami on Sunday, however, the win came at a cost. Kevin Durant, their star player, suffered an injury in the game. Monday reports are that he will be sidelined for about a month.
Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant is expected to be sidelined for approximately a month, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday.
The Nets announced Monday that Durant was diagnosed with an isolated MCL sprain of his right knee and will be reevaluated in two weeks.
ESPN – January 9th, 2022
Expect Kevin Durant to be out for 14 or 15 games
Losing KD for a month should affect about 14-15 games for the Nets. In a competitive Atlantic Division with the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers, that is long enough of an absence could make a difference in determining the divisional champion. Bettors will have to mind this injury and back off of Brooklyn in future markets. Anyone that has a bet on them for regular season markets, should consider using cash-out options if they are available.
If KD misses 15 games and then returns, our projection is that the Brooklyn Nets go 10-5 during that time frame. Note, a winning percentage of .667 is not a bad one. The Nets are a good team even without their best player. Last night, for instance, they defeated the Miami Heat in the fourth quarter by 4 points, even though they were without Durant.
However, over the long term missing Durant should cost them on the offensive side of the court. One ramification is that Brooklyn’s other offensive players will have to fill the void for shot-taking. The Nets will, in effect, have to come to a new balance and it’s not clear what that will be. They remain on top of our power rankings but could slide a little in the upcoming weeks.
