Nets’ Durant sidelined by hamstring strain

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant will miss at least two games with a strained left hamstring, the NBA team said Sunday.

Durant scored 20 points in 33 minutes Saturday at Golden State — his first return to the home court of the Warriors team he helped to NBA titles in 2017 and 2018.

He suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the 2019 championship series and then departed Golden State for the Nets.

It wasn’t clear when he suffered the injury, which the Nets described in a statement as mild.

The team said he would miss Monday’s game at Sacramento and Tuesday’s game at Phoenix.

Durant had just returned to the team after missing nearly a week because he’d come in close contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19.

That was the second time this season Durant missed time because of the league’s coronavirus safety protocols.

He also missed three games in January because of a potential exposure.

In all Durant has missed nine of the Nets’ 28 games in his first season on court since his Achilles injury.

On court he is averaging 29 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists.

© Agence France-Presse