The Nets announced today that James Harden, who left Wednesday’s game with hamstring tightness, has also been ruled out for Thursday’s contest vs. Charlotte. However, according to Shams Charania of Stadium (video link), the injury isn’t considered to be serious, and Harden will be day-to-day going forward.
Harden’s teammate, Kevin Durant, has been dealing with a more serious hamstring issue, having not played at all since February 13. But Charania says Durant is “closing in” on a return to action, adding that if this were the postseason, the star forward would already be playing. Durant still isn’t expected back until possibly sometime next week.
Meanwhile, Blake Griffin will rest on the second night of a back-to-back for injury management purposes, but the Nets will have their other buyout-market addition, LaMarcus Aldridge, available on Thursday for the first time, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Here are a few more health updates from around the NBA:
- Andre Drummond‘s debut with the Lakers didn’t exactly go as planned. The veteran center left the game with a right toe bruise, a diagnosis that understated how painful the injury was, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes. “I didn’t really think anything of it,” Drummond said, referring to a play where Brook Lopez stepped on his foot. “I came back in the second quarter and it was hurting a little bit more. And then after halftime, I finally took my sock off to look and my whole toenail was gone. So, it was just all bad from there. I couldn’t walk or run. So I just told Coach (Frank Vogel) to take me out.” Drummond is considered day-to-day.
- Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova has yet to appear in a game this season due to a concussion and an appendectomy, but that may change on Thursday. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said on Wednesday that Dellavedova is close to being ready, and that he’s hopeful of a “Delly sighting” against Philadelphia, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
- Suns big man Frank Kaminsky isn’t injured, but he’s on the shelf for now after being placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.
- As we relayed earlier today, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will remain sidelined through at least mid-April.
Brook Lopez out here stomping on ppl toes. Smdh.
It’s not like Drummond was going to keep the Lakers from dropping to 6th place by this weekend. We will see how much further they continue to fall without LeBron and AD.
And we will continue to see how much Houston is going to suck the next 10 years.
I’d rather have a team play poorly and rebuild than trade for some middling bozos and fool myself into thinking I have a shot at making it out of the play in game.
That’s just me though…
Lakers fans: Counting championships and yawning about the regular season.
Durant should not play until May 1
Griffin and Aldridge can defeat Knicks or Bulls
Durant is starting smell like Chandler Parsons.
Dude it’s a hamstring ….. ask a football player. Those can linger a long time. And you don’t want to come back too soon. Cause then you’ll be out even longer. It’s not a black n white injury.
Don’t jinx him with Chandler lol
Drummond is not Laker material. He isn’t a superstar or a great role player. Don’t get wrong he will have some fantastic games going forward, but I felt like he should of just went to the knicks. He literally needs to be on a team where he can just do wtv and grab every rebound.
Currently Lakers have ZERO superstars playing. One is going to be 37 yrs old. The other can’t win without him. Knicks say take up another sport !!!!!
I don’t think they would be very good at baseball, either. Remember MJ.
Maybe cricket? But more the high-paced, souped-up Indian version of cricket.
The Nets acquired Harden 35 games ago and I feel like all three of them (Harden, Irving, Durant) have been healthy for like five of them.
Considering their record. You’d have to say they have exceeded all expectations.
Yeah, absolutely. If they’re all healthy come playoff time, that’s all that matters, and they will be tough to beat.
Nets should hold out KD till May..dont see the point of risking another injury..Nets are already going to clinch a spot in the playoffs
Nets and Lakers just need to be healthy for playoffs. Both are vet led teams with major stars. Doesn’t matter where their seeding is. They know what they want are only focused on reaching the Finals. I see health being an issue all the way till the end with both teams. That’s why nothing is guaranteed to me. Both can beat especially if they have players missing gms.
DELLY IS BACK!!!
A team needs momentum to win. Just getting into the playoffs is not enough, never has been. Maybe if load management strategies have taken over, there will be no teams with mo… But Utah does rn.
In college I suspect Baylor will win by best using mo. Not that I am rooting for them… (not a good year for the NCAA.)