“If it was on my team, I had to put hands on him” – Shaquille O’Neal questions whether Kyrie Irving will sacrifice anti-vaccine stance in light of Kevin Durant’s injury

The Brooklyn Nets had one of their big three return – Kyrie Irving – even though he's only available for away games – while losing another – Kevin Durant – to injury this month.

Since the beginning of the year, the Nets are 5-6. As they venture into the final half of the season, they are third, a half-game behind the Miami Heat, in an amazingly tight Eastern Conference race.

With KD out for at least four weeks with his knee injury, the trouble for the Nets seems to only just be commencing.

Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal said Irving should consider getting vaccinated in order to play in New York City and Toronto and thus help his team through this period without Durant.

But after watching Irving’s interview, Shaq spoke of his disappointment, saying there would be a different conversation if the scenario faced his team.

"Is old boy going to sacrifice?" O'Neal said. "And I'm looking at his press conference today. He says no! I don't see how the team can put up with that. If it was on my team, I had to put hands on him. I know for a fact that these windows that win you championships, you don't have them a lot."

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Shaquille O'Neal believes Brooklyn Nets have better chance with Kyrie Irving taking the vaccine and playing in all games

Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets goes to the basket against Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards during the second half Wednesday in Washington, DC.

Brooklyn will be without its headliner, Durant, for four to six weeks, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. KD suffered a knee injury midway into the second quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday. An MRI revealed the small forward had sprained his medial collateral ligament.

With Durant out and Irving unavailable, James Harden will have to carry the team at home.

Shaquille O'Neal said Kyrie Irving needs to take the vaccine to help shoulder the burden while KD is out. He doesn't believe Irving and the team can get into a rhythm with him playing in only away games. He said the point guard needs to make a sacrifice for the team.

"You can't get in a rhythm like that, maybe you can, but I don't think you can get in a rhythm like that," O'Neal said.

"When I won my four (championships), we was close, we was tight, we fought, we argued, we went to each other's kid's birthday parties, we went to parties on the road, we held secrets, we did a lot of things, we stuck up for each other, we trusted each other.

"You can't get that with people coming in and out. But, hey, his stand is his stand; I'm not going to get in the argument on what he's should or shouldn't do. I'm just saying from experience, when you want to win, you've got to sacrifice for the betterment of the team."