Tag: Nets

Durant, Nets open NBA season with rout of Warriors

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Kevin Durant’s long awaited Brooklyn Nets debut didn’t disappoint Tuesday, the two-time NBA Finals MVP teaming seamlessly with Kyrie Irving in a 125-99 opening day blowout over the Golden State Warriors. Durant hadn’t played since suffering a devastating torn Achilles tendon playing for the Warriors against Toronto in game five of the championship series on June 10, 2019. He was still recovering from surgery when he bolted for the […]

Former MVP Durant ready to ride, at last, with Nets

by Rebecca BRYAN NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Kevin Durant says the quality of his Brooklyn Nets teammates promises him a “smooth ride” in his return from an 18-month NBA absence in the wake of a devastating torn Achilles tendon. The return of one of the NBA’s most formidable scoring threats, the league Most Valuable Player in 2014 and a two-time NBA Finals MVP with the Golden State Warriors — has sparked excitement among […]

NBA scoring machine Durant shines in unofficial Nets debut

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Kevin Durant scored 15 points Sunday on his unofficial Brooklyn Nets’ debut, 552 days since his last appearance on a court when he tore his Achilles tendon. Durant, arguably the best player in the NBA at the time of his injury, spent his downtime in rehabilitation watching Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo claim two most valuable player awards and LeBron James capture his fourth NBA championship. The Nets are Durant’s new […]

Two Nets players positive for COVID ahead of NBA restart

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Brooklyn Nets center DeAndre Jordan will not play again this season and teammate Spencer Dinwiddie’s participation is also in doubt after both tested positive for the coronavirus on Monday. The NBA is planning to go ahead with its restart plans at Disney World in Orlando on July 30, despite Florida is battling a surge in coronavirus cases in the past few days. “Found out last night and confirmed again […]

Nets ace Chandler to skip NBA restart

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Brooklyn Nets forward Wilson Chandler ruled himself out of the NBA’s restarted season on Sunday, citing safety fears because of the coronavirus. Chandler told ESPN he had opted to skip the restart in Orlando in order to spend more time with his family. “As difficult as it will be to not be with my teammates, the health and well-being of my family has to come first,” Chandler told ESPN. […]

NBA Lakers, Nets symptom free after 14-day isolations

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers have completed 14-day home isolations without any players showing symptoms of coronavirus, the NBA clubs said on Wednesday. The clubs intend to continue to follow safety guidelines set by health and government officials regarding social distance and sheltering in place. Nets general manager Sean Marks, the first New Zealand-born player in the NBA, said the four Nets players who had tested positive […]

Durant among Brooklyn Nets players diagnosed with COVID-19

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Kevin Durant is reportedly among four Brooklyn Nets players who have tested positive for the new coronavirus and are in isolation.The injured Durant, who has yet to play for the Nets since signing for the club last year, confirmed to The Athletic website he had tested positive for the virus. “Everyone is careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We’re going to get through this,” Durant was quoted as […]

Four Brooklyn Nets players diagnosed with COVID-

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Four Brooklyn Nets players have tested positive for the new coronavirus and are in isolation, the NBA team said Tuesday. The announcement comes with the NBA — and all other major US sports — on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic. “Four Brooklyn Nets players have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus,” the team said in a statement. “Of the four, one player is exhibiting symptoms while three are asymptomatic. […]

Nets’ Irving to have shoulder surgery, miss rest of NBA season

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving will have surgery on his right shoulder and miss the remainder of the NBA season, the team said Thursday. Point guard Irving tried to play through a shoulder impingement first diagnosed in November, but eventually missed 26 games. In hoping to avoid surgery he received a cortisone injection on December 24 that allowed him to return to action on January 12. He played in […]

Nets draw Hong Kong protest backers as NBA-China row simmers

  NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Supporters of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement made their presence felt Friday as the Brooklyn Nets played their first game in New York since they were caught in the middle of the NBA’s rift with China. Tensions between Beijing and the American basketball league erupted this month after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted an image in support of the demonstrations that have rocked the financial hub for […]

Nets beat Lakers to bring merciful end to tense China tour

by Dan Martin SHANGHAI, China (AFP) — The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 91-77 on Saturday to conclude a pre-season China tour that leaves behind big questions over the future of a key market worth billions of dollars to the NBA. The two-game tour was thrown into disarray, with all public appearances canceled other than the matches, after the league found itself at the center of a raging US-China dispute over democracy and […]

Hail King James: sport reigns for a night at China NBA game

by Dan Martin SHANGHAI, China (AFP) — For two raucous hours on Thursday night, Chinese fans and US basketball stars called a timeout on the increasingly bitter clash of values between their countries and let sport take over. In stark contrast to the war of words over an NBA executive’s support for Hong Kong democracy protests, Chinese fans filled an 18,000-seat Shanghai arena to revel in the NBA’s high-flying razzle-dazzle. The exhibition game between the […]