Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant is currently sidelined with a sprained MCL, yet he is still one of the leading vote-getters for next month’s NBA All-Star Game, which will be held in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Despite his injury, Durant says he wants to play in the contest.
KD on playing in the ASG: "…Yeah, I want to play. I want to be a part of all these events. I missed going back to Golden State my previous home. So, it’s been three years since I did that. You see all this stuff pass you by so I want to participate in everything…"
— Alex Schiffer (@Alex__Schiffer) January 24, 2023
He suffered his injury on Jan. 8 in a game against the Miami Heat, and although he has progressed enough to return to some on the court activities, he will miss at least two more weeks.
The All-Star game will be on Feb. 19, which will give him just over three weeks to heal.
Last season, Durant also missed a considerable amount of time with a sprained MCL, forcing him to miss the midseason classic.
He also couldn’t play in the 2021 All-Star game due to a hamstring injury.
Ever since Durant tore his Achilles during the 2019 NBA Finals, he has had trouble remaining healthy for the majority of a full season, and that inability has torpedoed the great expectations the Nets have had ever since he joined them shortly after his Achilles injury.
But when he has been healthy, he has still been one of the game’s very best players.
He is averaging 29.7 points on 55.9 percent shooting, 5.3 assists and 1.5 blocked shots per game this season, and just prior to his injury, Brooklyn was on a tear.
It had won 12 games in a row and 18 of 20, which had some starting to consider it a legitimate championship contender.
But without Durant, the Nets promptly dropped four games in a row, and with only one other real scoring threat in Kyrie Irving, they will be in trouble until he is healthy again.
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