Covid protocols force Durant off

LOS ANGELES • Kevin Durant, who was forced to come off the bench for the first time in his National Basketball Association (NBA) career on Friday, was pulled from the Brooklyn Nets contest in the third quarter because of Covid-19 protocols, according to officials.

The strange turn of events started with the forward being ruled out of the starting line-up, moments before the beginning of the Nets' 123-117 loss to the Toronto Raptors, because someone he came into contact with earlier on Friday had an inconclusive test for Covid-19.

He then checked into the game halfway through the first quarter and remained, until being removed with nine minutes left in the third quarter of a tight contest by a Nets official.

A visibly frustrated Durant threw his water bottle as he headed down the tunnel to the dressing room.

"Out of an abundance of caution, Durant was removed from the game and contact tracing is underway to determine if he was in fact a close contact of the positive individual," a league spokesman said.

While the game was still going on, Durant took to his cellphone in the bowels of Barclays Centre arena and tweeted "Free me".

The league said Durant had tested negative three times in the last 24 hours, including twice on Friday. But, as he had been in contact with someone who originally had an inconclusive test result, he was held out of the start of the game. Durant then entered the contest and played 19 minutes before the league learned the other individual had tested positive.

"Under the league's health and safety protocols, we do not require a player to be quarantined until a close contact has confirmed a positive test," the spokesman said. "During the game a positive test result was returned for the person."

Nets coach Steve Nash said losing Durant was just another twist in a bizarre back and forth season.

"It is tough to lose Durant twice in one night," said the Canadian.

"But we got to be adaptable. It is the kind of season it is going to be."

Durant finished with eight points while Joe Harris led the Nets with 19 points. James Harden scored 17 for Brooklyn (14-10).

Harden felt that the game should not have been played. "It is frustrating," he said. "I don't understand. He couldn't play and then he came back on the court. The game should have been postponed. He was around all of us."

Pascal Siakam scored a season-high 33 points for the Raptors (10-12), while Kyle Lowry also had a season-high of 30 points.

Nikola Vucevic had a career-high 43 points and a season-high 19 rebounds as the Orlando Magic beat the Chicago Bulls 123-119 on Friday.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS