James Harden among list of Nets to enter NBA's Health & Safety Protocols
James Harden will miss time after entering the league’s protocols for COVID-19.
Brooklyn Nets guards James Harden and Bruce Brown have entered the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols, the team announced Tuesday evening.
Harden and Brown will be inactive until further notice, joining five other Brooklyn players sidelined for the same reason.
LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre’ Bembry, Jevon Carter and James Johnson entered the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols on Tuesday morning ahead of the Nets’ home game against Toronto. Paul Millsap was placed in Health and Safety protocols on Monday. Brooklyn won the game against the Raptors, 131-129, in overtime.
Update to tonight’s status report: pic.twitter.com/JYCeTHaMZQ
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) December 14, 2021
The NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols require players to be sidelined at least 10 days or record two negative tests in a 24-hour period before they can resume basketball activities.
Durant, who was listed as questionable on the initial injury report with right ankle soreness, was active for the game against Toronto. He finished with 34 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists to power Brooklyn’s victory. Durant was upgraded from questionable just before the game and helped Brooklyn to its third straight win.
“I felt like it was something I could play on, so I knew I was going to play this morning,” Durant said. “I hate that my teammates are out. I wish everybody was playing.”
Brooklyn was shorthanded not just on the playing roster, but elsewhere, too.
“It’s unfortunate, for sure,” Nets coach Steve Nash said, who also noted “a couple coaches and a couple staff (members)” were in protocol.
Game Recap: Nets 131, Raptors 129 (OT)
Overall, the Nets have been playing short-handed all season after Kyrie Irving refused to get vaccinated, making him unable to play home games because of a New York vaccine mandate. The team decided not to let him play solely in road games.
The NBA postponed two Chicago Bulls games this week because 10 of their players were in Health and Safety protocols.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
