Those tuning into NBA TV on Monday night to watch the Nets' new star duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will be sorely disappointed. Both are out against the Grizzlies.
Both Durant and Irving played Sunday night, when the Nets (2-1) were upset by the Hornets. Neither will suit up for the tail end of Brooklyn's first back-to-back set of the season against Memphis (0-2). The reason given for both absences is "injury recovery." Durant didn't play in 2019-20 following a torn Achilles, while Irving missed the end of the 2019-20 season with a shoulder injury.
These absences come in some contrast to the NBA's new load management rules for the 2020-21 season. Those rules state that healthy players aren't supposed to be rested for national television games, which broadcasts on NBA TV are considered to be. That new rule does allow for "unusual circumstances," of which injury history is one, so Durant and Irving seem to technically fit the rule's parameters if not the spirit of the rule.
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The first game the Nets play this season without Durant and Irving will also be missing guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who averaged more than 20 points per game in 2019-20. He's been announced to have a partially torn ACL and is looking at an extended time off the court.
Here's more to know about Durant and Irving's Monday night absences.
Why is Kevin Durant out vs. Grizzlies?
The Nets ruled Durant out for Monday night's game against Memphis on Monday morning. It's part of an "injury recovery" absence following Durant's 18-month layoff from game action. Durant tore his Achilles in June 2019 and didn't return to preseason action until Dec. 2020.
Durant played a season-high 36 minutes Sunday in the Nets' loss to Charlotte, and he tied his season-high with 29 points. After the game, Durant spoke about his hope to play in back-to-back sets at some point this season.
"I definitely want to be able to play back-to-backs," Durant said after Sunday's game, according to ESPN. "Get through 'em healthy and play my normal minutes, so we'll see."
Durant's absence should push Caris LeVert into the starting lineup for Brooklyn. Fittingly, LeVert was known in college at Michigan as "Baby Durant."
MORE: Kevin Durant gets fresh start with Nets after 18-month layoff
Why is Kyrie Irving out vs. Grizzlies?
The Nets ruled Irving out for Monday night's game against the Grizzlies on Monday afternoon. He too was deemed an "injury recovery" inactive. Irving had surgery on his right shoulder March 3 and didn't play for the remainder of the 2019-20 NBA season.
Irving's return from injury hasn't been as scruitinized as Durant's, and he's played a normal workload in the early going. That included a season-high 36 minutes against the Hornets on Sunday night, with Irving scoring 25 points and dishing out six assists in that loss.
The lack of Irving should push some combination of Landry Shamet, Tyler Johnson and LeVert into duty running the point for Brooklyn.
Unlike with Durant, there hadn't been specific public discussion about Irving sitting out back-to-back sets this season, but at least in Brooklyn's first such occurrence, both stars won't be playing.