Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant is expected to make his return from a knee sprain on Thursday night against the Miami Heat.
The Brooklyn Nets have not had the best of luck in terms of being at full strength. Things really went off the rails when Kevin Durant suffered a left MCL sprain earlier this year. Add that to Kyrie Irving is only able to play in road games and trade deadline acquisition Ben Simmons is not expected to make his team debut any time soon due to a back injury.
But now, reinforcements are on the way.
According to multiple reports, Durant is expected to make his return on Thursday night for Brooklyn’s game against the Miami Heat.
The Nets confirmed the news with a tweet containing a photo of Durant with the caption, “The Return.”
Kevin Durant expected to return for Nets on Thursday
Durant suffered his MCL sprain during the Nets’ game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 15. As a result, he missed a grand total of 21 games for Brooklyn, in which they only won five of those contests. During that stretch, the Nets had an 11-game losing streak.
Prior to his injury, Durant averaged 29.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 52.0-percent from the field and 37.2-percent from the three-point line through 36 games.
Durant’s return could not come at a better time. The Nets are coming off back-to-back losses to the Toronto Raptors entering Thursday night. Not to mention that they are facing off against a Heat team that holds a 1.5-game lead for first-place in the Eastern Conference with a 41-22 record.