'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant has missed five consecutive games after sustaining a knee injury against the New Orleans Pelicans on Jan. 15. Although there is no timeline for his return, the two-time champ has finally spoken about how he is feeling.
Durant's absence is a big loss for the Nets, as he has been carrying the team. In the five games he has missed, the Nets went 2-3, with their latest loss Tuesday night to LeBron James and the LA Lakers.
On "The ETCs" podcast, Durant talked about how he was feeling one week after the injury, and he said he felt a lot better.
"I'm feeling solid," Durant said. "You know these injuries take some time to heal. I'm feeling good. It was an unfortunate situation. ... It stung for a couple of days, but now I'm getting better and getting back into the swing of some things, walking around a little different. So, things are looking up but definitely want to be with the guys out there soon.
"TV made it look like, 'Oh, he took a hard fall.' But to me, it's like, yo, that s**t was just a little nudge to me. But this one felt like maybe we need to go walk to the back.
"You kind of know the ones, especially if you had a few injuries before. So, I knew it was a little deeper, but I'm glad it wasn't as bad as it could have been because my whole leg was extended once he (Bruce Brown) hit it. So, I'm glad I was able to take that and come out with like a sprained MCL."
"That's how things could change, especially once you get that MRI, you get them eyes on what's going on, you feel a little bit more at ease. The uncertainty was driving me crazy. So, once I got the MRI and everybody took a peek at it, I felt cool."
The Nets will undoubtedly miss Durant but will have to go on without him for a while longer, seeing as there is no timeline for his return. The organization has said he will return after a period of rehabilitation, but no one knows how long it will take.
Without Kevin Durant, the Nets might not go all the way in the 2022 playoffs
Getting Kyrie Irving back in the fold, even as a part-time player, is a significant boost for the Nets. The All-Star guard is a proven scorer and will be a threat offensively.
However, the team can only go so far without Kevin Durant, who is arguably the most efficient scorer in the league. Irving will only be available for road games, which will leave James Harden as the only superstar on the team in home games.
While Brooklyn has a decent chance of KD returning before the playoffs, Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported Durant is expected to miss the All-Star Game on Feb. 20. Pending Durant's return, the Nets will have to find a way to maintain their top-four seeding to get home-court advantage in the postseason.
KD is leading the league in scoring with 29.3 points per game in 36 games. Added to that are 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists. He was also on course to win the MVP award but currently ranks fourth in the latest rankings.
