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Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant had plenty to say about the New York City vaccine mandate after a 110-107 victory over the New York Knicks at Barclays Center. The Slim Reaper led the team with a 53-point performance Sunday night. Brooklyn played without Kyrie Irving, who was allowed into the arena as a ticket-buying fan but not on the hardwood.
The private sector mandate prohibits unvaccinated employees from working at their workplace. That's the category Irving falls under. He can be inside a New York City arena as long as he is not working.
Irving can play in only four of Brooklyn's remaining 14 games. He will be prohibited from playing when the Nets visit the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April 6.
Durant commented on the mandate and did not mince words. After a Herculean performance to seal the win for the Nets, he said:
"It's ridiculous. I don't understand it at all. There's few people in our arena that's unvaxxed, right? They lifted all of that in our arena, right? I don’t get it. At this point now, it feels like somebody’s trying to make a statement or a point to flex their authority.
"But everybody out here is looking for attention, and that’s what I feel the mayor wants right now is some attention. He’ll figure it out soon. He better, but it just didn't make any sense. It’s unvaxxed people in this building already. We’ve got a guy who can come into the building. I guess, are they fearing our safety?
"I don’t get it. We’re all confused. Pretty much everybody in the world is confused at this point. Earlier on in the season, people didn’t understand what’s going on, but now it just looks stupid. So hopefully, Eric (Adams), you’ve gotta figure this out."
The message could not have been more direct and clear. It is also a testament that KD would love to have Irving in every game as he knows how impactful the elite ball handler can be.
Although the mayor once said he would do anything to get a ring, he is treading cautiously to not be seen as favoring Irving. Many other workers in the city have been fired from their jobs due to failure to get fully vaccinated or submit proof of vaccination.
Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets are fighting to escape the play-in tournament
The Nets (35-33) are eighth in the Eastern Conference, 2.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors (37-30). They are 3.5 games behind the sixth-place Cleveland Cavaliers (38-39). The team that finishes sixth will avoid the play-in tournament.
The Nets, who led the East for much of the season, tumbled with Kevin Durant out with a knee injury. They went 3-17 from Jan. 23-March 6.
However, the Nets are fighting to remedy their campaign and finish in the top six, or at least get a favorable seeding ahead of the play-in tournament. As things stand, the Nets will have to play the Raptors for seventh place and will do so without Irving.
Regardless, there is still plenty of basketball to be played, and things could change.
Durant, who was having an MVP-caliber campaign before getting sidelined with a knee injury, will have to lead the team again. The four-time scoring champ has played 41 games and has averaged 29.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists while shooting 52%.
Guess the Lakers players!
