Kevin Durant on Kyrie Irving not being vaccinated: ‘It’s pretty obvious he’s not going to take the shot’

Durant called out New York City Mayor Eric Adams by name after a March 13 win over the New York Knicks, on the same day Irving, who is not vaccinated against COVID-19, sat courtside at Barclays Center, but could not play in the game because of the …

Durant called out New York City Mayor Eric Adams by name after a March 13 win over the New York Knicks, on the same day Irving, who is not vaccinated against COVID-19, sat courtside at Barclays Center, but could not play in the game because of the city’s mandate. Durant acknowledged what many in the Nets organization have known for months, and that Irving himself has made clear since returning as a part-time player on Jan. 5 — he will not be getting the shot. “I mean, what is it, April almost?” Durant said. “It’s pretty obvious that he’s not going to take the shot. So like I said, just focus on who you are and what you bring to the team every day and once that situation gets figured out, then it will. It’s out of my control, it’s out of everybody else’s control. So you can’t force anybody to do anything. So just try to just focus on me.”

Source: Nick Friedell @ ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
LaMarcus Aldridge nicknamed him Instant Offense. He’s debated with Kevin Durant on who was the better young scorer. The way the Nets talked about Cam Thomas this year, he sounds like a Space Jam character. But there’s more him than that. Today’s story: theathletic.com/3196861/2022/0…10:06 AM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Jaren Jackson Jr. has recorded 24 games with multiple 3PM and multiple blocks this season.
Only four players in NBA history have recorded more such games in a season:
30 – Brook Lopez, 2018-19
28 – Rasheed Wallace, 2005-06
28 – Kevin Durant, 2017-18
27 – Danny Granger, 2008-09 pic.twitter.com/psPsMMjzDU9:21 AM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
No surprises on Nets injury report for tomorrow against the Jazz. Irving, Harris, Simmons, Aldridge all out. Day’Ron Sharpe and David Duke Jr. are with Long Island. – 7:14 PM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
Nets status report for Jazz:
Aldridge (right hip impingement) – OUT
Simmons (return to competition reconditioning/back soreness) – OUT
Irving – OUT – 4:56 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Aldridge, Duke, Harris, Sharpe, Simmons, Irving all OUT for the Nets tomorrow against the Utah Jazz – 4:55 PM
David Locke @DLocke09
70 players have taken 100 off the bounce 3 point shots this season
1. Duncan Robinson 44%
2. Desmond Bane 41%
3. Jrue Holiday 40.5%
4. Mike Conley 40.4%
5. Tyrese Mexey 40.4%
6. Tyrese Hailburton 40.1%
7. Kevin Durant 39.3%
8. Darius Garland 39.2%
9. Eric Gordon 38.5% – 1:30 PM
Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
KD and Kyrie getting some shots up after practice. Simmons not on the floor with his teammates as practice wraps up. We’ll get another update from Nash soon. pic.twitter.com/USaxDIM9sM12:05 PM

Frank Isola @TheFrankIsola
New Jersey hoop rankings:
1. St. Peter’s. 2. Karl Anthony Towns. 3. Kyrie. 4. Camden High School. – 10:51 PM
Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Kyrie Irving dropped 60 points in the Nets’ win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.
@Grady tells @Rick Kamla and @adaniels33 he’s never seen anyone quite like Kyrie. #NetsWorld pic.twitter.com/SRCd2FNF1A8:49 PM
Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Frank Vogel hilariously says he told Russell Westbrook if he taught Kevin Durant that move to pull back his foot behind the 3-point line that it would’ve changed the course of NBA history with the Nets beating the eventual champion Bucks last year in the playoffs. – 6:40 PM
Wayne Cole @waynec0le
Frank Vogel says he told Russell Westbrook he was happy for him this morning and also joked and said if he taught KD that footwork on the three he could’ve changed history, and Brooklyn wins that series. – 6:40 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Notebook: Kevin Durant says Joel Embiid is the likely NBA MVP + Seth Curry explains his lingering ankle injury: “It’s something I’m just going to have to manage and deal with until the offseason.”
For @NYDNSports: nydailynews.com/sports/basketb…2:02 PM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 2010, the @Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 15,000 career points (age in years-days):
✅ James (25-079)
✅ Kevin Durant (26-078)
✅ Kobe Bryant (27-136)
✅ Wilt Chamberlain (27-156)
✅ Carmelo Anthony (27-234) pic.twitter.com/7ebEdeeY0x12:01 PM

JD Shaw @JShawNBA
NBA’s best from March 18:
– K. Durant: 38 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast
– L. James: 36 pts, 9 reb, 7 ast
– N. Jokic: 32 pts, 10 reb, 8 ast
– C. Wood: 32 pts, 13 reb, 7 ast
– S. Barnes: 31 pts, 17 reb, 6 ast
– L. Markkanen: 31 pts, 10 reb, +21
– D. Sabonis: 30 pts, 20 reb, 5 ast – 11:41 AM
StatMuse @statmuse
Most go-ahead or game-tying shots in the final 60 seconds since Russ entered the league:
53 — Russell Westbrook
52 — Damian Lillard
51 — Kevin Durant
51 — LeBron James pic.twitter.com/7zqGthBgXo11:08 AM

Matt Williams @StatsWilliams
Kevin Durant has played 7 games this season without Kyrie Irving or James Harden. In those games, he has averaged:
37.7 points
50% FG
8.1 assists
The Nets are 5-2 in those games. – 9:45 AM
Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Seth Curry returns with seven 3s to prevent the constant double-teaming faced Wednesday by Kevin Durant, who scores 38 points.
“You shouldn’t be able to run two or three guys at a player the entire game without having to pay for it,” Curry said.
apnews.com/article/brookl…9:23 AM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
Is KD frustrated he won’t win MVP cause of his knee injury?
“No it’s not frustrating. I’ve experienced what it’s like to win MVP and that doesn’t validate me as a hum- player…. It’s always great to get some…some hometown love… but I understand the type of player that I am.” pic.twitter.com/kRwOFWTzDw11:30 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Is it frustrating knowing you’d be at heart of MVP conversation had it not been for knee injury?
KD: “It’s not frustrating. I’ve experienced what it’s like to win an MVP. And that doesn’t validate me as a player. I know what I can do … [Injuries] are just a part of the game.” – 11:11 PM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
“Joel Embiid, DeMar DeRozan, Ja Morant for me, those are my top three [for MVP] and I’ll probably go Joel. Jokic, you can throw throw Jokic in there. But I’ll probably go Joel.”
-Sounds like Kevin Durant gives his vote for MVP to Joel Embiid. pic.twitter.com/755IgFVoMG11:01 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
KD said that if he had an MVP vote — he would probably give it to Embiid right now.
He said DeRozan and Ja would be in his top three. He’d also throw Jokic in there. – 10:56 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kevin Durant says he thinks the MVP race this year is between Joel Embiid, DeMar DeRozan, Ja Morant and Nikola Jokic. Says his pick is Joel Embiid, but says the award can go any way. – 10:55 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kevin Durant asked to pick the league’s MVP, said he’d go with Joel Embiid, but said his top four are Ja Morant, Jokic, Embiid and DeMar DeRozan. – 10:54 PM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
Kevin Durant says it’s not frustrating for him to think that getting injured may have cost him the MVP. He thinks Joel Embiid, DeRozan, Morant, Jokic are the top. And he thinks Embiid will get it. – 10:54 PM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
Kevin Durant says it’s cool to look at the standings sometimes but they’re more focused on playing their best ball. – 10:51 PM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
Durant says it can be frustrating sometimes facing so many double or triple teams but it helps him improve. Says he’s seen it since Nov. – 10:51 PM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
Kevin Durant says it was huge having Seth Curry back out there, someone efficient from all angles on the floor. Happy Curry’s ankle is getting better. – 10:50 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kevin Durant got the help he didn’t have against Dallas: No, not Kyrie Irving, but sharpshooter Seth Curry, who returned from an ankle injury to pepper the Trail Blazers with a barrage of 3s.
This + a standings check and tiebreaker scenarios w/CLE & TOR:
nydailynews.com/sports/basketb…10:44 PM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
“They’re just doubling Kev [Durant] and then teams are still trying to disrespect me like I can’t hoop so I’m just taking advantage of it….definitely puts a chip on my shoulder.”
-Bruce Brown on capitalizing off the attention KD gets, and the work he puts in behind the scenes. pic.twitter.com/D5LBYfMBzg10:41 PM

Dave Early @DavidEarly
Steve Nash was asked if there’s an emotional let down when Kyrie Irving isn’t in the lineup. Said he thinks it’s more of a talent deficit than emotional let down. – 10:19 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
KD just doing KD things:
38 PTS
6 REB
6 AST
11-15 FG
Nets have won 5 of their last 6 games. pic.twitter.com/T34w78GILN10:14 PM

Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
The Nets win it 128-123.
KD finishes with with 38 points. The Blazers did the same thing late that everybody has been doing — doubling him and forcing somebody else to beat them.
The Nets are 37-34. – 10:07 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Final: Nets beat the Blazers 128-123 to cap a wild week. Brooklyn has won four of five, yet still sits firmly in the eight spot in the East. Tough week ahead next week. Jazz, Grizz and Heat. KD had 38, Seth Curry had 27, Bruce and Drum 17 each and Cam Thomas with 11. – 10:06 PM
Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Kevin Durant for some reason just fouled Justise Winslow attempting a 3-pointer. Nets challenge, which means we have to watch multiple replays of Kevin Durant for some reason fouling Justise Winslow attempting a 3. Call stands. – 9:54 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Evidence that the mandates are backwards: The ball bounced into the crowd, and a fan threw it to Bruce Brown, who inbounded the ball. That fan is not required to show proof of vaccination. But Kyrie, who has to pass COVID tests every day to be eligible, can’t play. – 9:44 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets lead the Blazers 117-109 with 4:50 left. Five Nets in double-figures. KD has 36, Seth Curry with 25 and Cam Thomas up to 11 on 5-for-8 shooting. Thomas appears to be over the back issue. – 9:44 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Seth Curry has hit back-to-back 3s to give the Nets a 111-101 lead here with 7:56 to go in Q4. He’s done this with Kevin Durant on the bench, which is the best news. Durant will close this game soon. – 9:36 PM
Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Nets open the fourth with a 10-0 run so far with Durant on the bench. Have opened a 111-101 lead over the Blazers. – 9:36 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
End of the third quarter: Nets and Blazers tied at 101. Kevin Durant with 36 points on 11-for-15 shooting. Four starters in double-figures, Goran Dragic a point shy of joining them. He has 10 assists, too, a season-high. – 9:27 PM
Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Kevin Durant has woken the Nets up. He’s got 34.
He’s 11-for-14 from the field. 10-for-11 from the free throw line. It would have been a hell of an MVP race with Jokic and Embiid if he had stayed healthy. – 9:18 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
The Nets have seized control of this game, with Kevin Durant hitting a 3 to make this a 96-94 game. The Nets have outscored the Trail Blazers, 34-19, in the 3rd quarter. Timeout, Brooklyn. – 9:17 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kevin Durant hits a 3 and the Nets have the lead back. – 9:16 PM
Dave Early @DavidEarly
Per Nets PR:
Kevin Durant has scored a game-high 31 points, his 19th 30-point game of the season.
That’s tied for the fifth-most 30-point games in a season in Nets NBA history . – 9:13 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Timeout, Trail Blazers: The Nets have built some momentum but still trail, 85-76, here at the 8:06 mark in the 3rd quarter. Kevin Durant is up to 27 points on 8/10 FG but has 5 turnovers. POR has 5 players w/12+ PTS. Nets are picking up the energy some but still work to be done. – 8:58 PM
NBA Kicks @NBAKicks
👀 tonight’s Nike KD 14 for @Kevin Durant at home! #NBAKicks pic.twitter.com/0BZ9tz9Gks8:51 PM

Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42
A 75 point first half by the retooling Trail Blazers in Brooklyn.
We can talk all about the 50 and 60 point Kyrie Irving games on the road but it will not mean anything if the Nets can’t win home games. – 8:37 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
The Trail Blazers, who only average 107 points per game as a team, have opened up a 75-62 lead over the Nets at the half. It sounds like a morgue at Barclays Center. This would be a terrible loss for the Nets, and they’ll need to rely on Kevin Durant yet again to survive. – 8:36 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Halftime: Nets trail the Blazers 75-62. BAD defensive half for Brooklyn. Four Blazers in double-figures, including Ben McLemore, who has 15 off the bench. Kevin Durant already has 22. Nets have nine turnovers for 19 points. – 8:36 PM
Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Durant is 7 for 8 for 21 points, Nets are shooting 60.5% – and they’re losing by nine to Portland, which has 70 points before halftime. – 8:33 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
The Trail Blazers have opened up a 68-59 lead over the Nets here at Barclays Center. The Nets are being careless with the ball and are running virtually everything through Kevin Durant, who’s up to 21 points on 7/8 FG in the first half. – 8:32 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
9 turnovers for the Nets in this first half: 4 from KD, 3 from Dragic. – 8:31 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kevin Durant, Seth Curry and Andre Drummond have scored 42 of the Nets’ 55 points. – 8:29 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Kevin Durant, Nic Claxton and Kessler Edwards are set to check back in. – 8:20 PM
Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Poor defensive effort so far from the Nets against the tanking Blazers. KD has 13 points already — but Brooklyn is just kind of going through the motions right now against a team they should roll over. – 8:07 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
End of the first quarter: Nets lead the Trailblazers 34-33. Two DMV kids running the show so far. Kevin Durant has 13 points on 4-for-5 shooting. Josh Hart has 10 on 4-for-7. Seth Curry, not from the DMV, already has three 3s in his first game back. – 8:07 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
End of Q1: Nets 34, Trail Blazers 33
A snoozer through one. KD has 13, Josh Hart has 10 and Seth Curry has 9. Trail Blazers have scored 20 PTS in the paint, Nets have scored 18. – 8:07 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Timeout, Portland: The Trail Blazers’ interior defense has been absolutely awful. Nic Claxton, Andre Drummond and Kevin Durant have had their way finishing a the rim and the Nets have 16 early points in the paint.
BKN 29, POR 23
Nets have the momentum. – 7:59 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Kevin Durant just threw a touchdown pass to Bruce Brown. – 7:58 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
MVP chants for Kevin Durant at the foul line – 7:47 PM
Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Kevin Durant fined $25,000 for telling fan to “shut the f*** up” nba.nbcsports.com/2022/03/18/kev…7:01 PM
Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Nets starters vs. Portland: Dragic, Curry, Durant, Brown and Drummond. – 7:00 PM
Nick Friedell @NickFriedell
Chauncey: “It’s just so crazy how they’re like two different teams, when [Kyrie] plays and when he doesn’t. Both teams real dang good, but if they can ever line it up when both dudes are playing and playing at a high level, it’s going to be very scary. Especially when Ben plays” – 6:37 PM
Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
Kyrie Irving popped up at Barclays over the weekend. @Chris Haynes thinks it’s a farce. I think if he’s standing on principle, be willing to accept the consequences pic.twitter.com/dzV1pwncnj6:18 PM

Alex Schiffer @Alex__Schiffer
Billups called Kevin Durant “one of the most unguardable players in the history of our game.” – 6:05 PM
Brian Lewis @NYPost_Lewis
Kevin Durant was fined $25,000 for directing obscene language toward a fan. The incident – which was more comedic that testy – happened with :09.4 left in the second quarter of the #Nets’ 113-111 Monday loss to the #Mavericks. #NBA5:15 PM
Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
NBA fines Kevin Durant $25,000 for language toward fan
sportando.basketball/en/nba-fines-k…5:14 PM
Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
KD has been fined $25K for directing obscene language towards a fan – 4:44 PM
Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
NBA announced that Kevin Durant has been fined $25,000 “for directing obscene language toward a fan” during the Nets’ loss to Dallas on Wednesday. – 4:44 PM
Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixers
The #NBA has fined Brooklyn Nets standout forward Kevin Durant $25,000 for obscene language directed at a fan. – 4:43 PM
Ian Begley @IanBegley
As he expected, Nets star Kevin Durant is fined $25,000 by the league for directing obscene language at a fan. Details here: pic.twitter.com/fsmks7Aten4:43 PM

Chris Haynes @ChrisBHaynes
The NBA has fined Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant $25,000 for obscene language directed at a fan. – 4:41 PM
JD Shaw @JShawNBA
Nets superstar Kevin Durant has been fined $25,000 for directing obscene language toward a fan, the NBA just announced. – 4:40 PM
Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Nets star Kevin Durant has been fined $25,000 for directing obscene language toward a fan Wednesday night in Brooklyn. – 4:40 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Broke a lot of what we know about the Kyrie Irving situation down with @netw3rk on his show ALL CAPS
Full episode: https://t.co/ntsA0WV5GD pic.twitter.com/mRJ9g9UTMl1:48 PM

More on this storyline

Kevin Durant says Kyrie Irving is “frustrated” that he still cannot play Nets home games because of New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, but also thinks Brooklyn’s championship window extends beyond this season regardless of when his star teammate returns on a fulltime basis. “He’s frustrated in not being able to play,” Durant said after Monday’s shootaround. “He figured this stuff would be rolled back by now, we’d be way past this. But it’s the situation we’re in, we got to deal with it, he’s got to deal with it. Trusting that it’ll get figured out there soon. I have no clue what may happen, but I’m just trusting that things will work itself out. But I’m sure he misses playing in front of a home crowd and the home crowd, vice versa, they miss him. So hopefully we get it figured out soon.” -via ESPN / March 21, 2022
Protestors rallied outside Barclays Center on Friday in support of Kyrie Irving. While it’s uncertain if any more demonstrations are planned when the Nets play host to the Jazz on Monday, or in the immediate future, it’s clear the situation continues to be divisive. The protestors held signs that read “Wake Up New York” and “Brooklyn Loves Kyrie.” Others ripped up Nets tickets along with photos of Mayor Eric Adams, angered that he hasn’t repealed private sector vaccine mandates that bar the All-Star from playing home games. Adams hasn’t offered any timetable and city health commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan was equally vague Friday. “I think it’s indefinite at this point,” Dr. Vasan said. “People who’ve tried to predict what’s going to happen in the future for this pandemic have repeatedly found egg on their face, as they say. I’m not going to do that here.” -via New York Post / March 20, 2022