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NEW YORK – Kevin Durant won’t play against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, and Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash has said he doubts Durant will play this week as he continues to readjust from stress to the hamstrings that put him on the sidelines for a month and a half.
Nash said on Sunday that Durant “looks good” and “is progressing” but “has yet to be watched and still has to have a number of markers under his belt” before returning to play.
Durant last played on February 13 against the Golden State Warriors. Durant stayed behind during Brooklyn’s three-game road trip to Portland, Utah and Detroit last week as he worked on what Nash saw as a “critical last part” of his rehab.
The Nets were also without Kyrie Irving and Landry Shamet on this trip. Irving, who was not with the team while dealing with a family affair, will play on Monday. Shamet, who treated a sprained right ankle, was sidelined against the Timberwolves. Nash said he also doesn’t think Shamet will return to the roster this week.
After the Nets host the Timberwolves, they will face Houston on Wednesday and the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday – all that Durant and Shamet are likely to miss, according to Nash.
Nash reiterated that he doesn’t believe Shamet’s ankle will be a “long-term thing,” while Durant still has a few tests to go through in his hamstring recovery. Initially, the Nets ruled Durant for two games, but further imagery revealed more serious tension than the team initially thought.
Nash said they also had the luxury of not rushing Durant back because the team kept winning. The Nets, Nash said, are prioritizing Durant’s long-term health in what they hope will be a deep playoff series.
“He still has some steps to go,” Nash said of Durant, “even though he looks great, is making progress and will definitely be back with us. It’s fair, I don’t think so this week. is probable. “
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