NBA leading scorer Kevin Durant has been given the green light to return to the game after staying on the sidelines, in connection with COVID-19 protocol.
Durant leads the NBA with 29.7 points per game this season.
He, Kyrie Irving and LaMarcus Aldridge are fit to return to the game, the Nets said midday Tuesday. Durant and Aldridge could play Thursday in Brooklyn, against Philadelphia.
Aldridge is fourth among his team with 14 points per game.
Durant missed three games, two behind Aldridge.
Irving cannot play in New York City, where an athlete must be vaccinated to attend a public athletic facility. It was only recently that the Nets brought him back to their ranks. They used to say they didn’t want to rely on a part-time player.
The Nets’ next road game is on Jan. 5 in Indiana. Brooklyn has the best record in the East, 23-9.
On the Atlanta side, the Hawks now have 13 players unavailable under protocol, with the addition of Bogdan Bogdanovic, Gorgui Dieng and Malik Ellison.
For the same reason, former Raptor Danny Green and two other Sixers players are on the sidelines for Tuesday’s game in Toronto.
The Raptors hope to count on the return to the game of Pascal Siakam, Gary Trent and Khem Birch.
The trio were on the sidelines in connection with the protocol. By midday they were uncertain cases to face the Sixers, for fitness issues.
Nick Nurse’s squad still have seven players on the sidelines related to protocol, including Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes.
Former Raptors Kyle Lowry (Heat) and Terrence Ross (Magic) are also on the sidelines in connection with the protocol concerning the virus, like Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers) and Draymond Green (Warriors), in particular.
This is also the case for coaches Mark Daigneault (Thunder), Frank Vogel (Lakers), Billy Donovan (Bulls), Chauncey Billups (Blazers) and Monty Williams (Suns).
Due to protocol-related absences, 546 players have already played a game in the NBA this season. The previous record was 540.