Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash admitted he is concerned with Kevin Durant's workload, describing it as "not safe or sustainable".
Before Thursday's 114-105 win over Eastern Conference rivals the Philadelphia 76ers, Durant ranked second in minutes per game (36.9) this NBA season.
The shorthanded Nets, who have been hit by a COVID-19 outbreak, have relied heavily on their superstar in 2021-22 – Durant played a season-high 48 minutes in Tuesday's overtime victory against the Toronto Raptors.
Not since 2013-14, during his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder (38.5), has former MVP Durant averaged more minutes per game in his illustrious career.
"It's a really important topic," Nash before the Eastern Conference-leading Nets outlasted the rallying 76ers in Brooklyn, with Durant playing a team-high 39 minutes.
"I don't know we can continue to lean on him the way we have. It doesn't feel right.
"I know he's enjoying it. I know he's enjoying playing at the rate he's playing at and trying to bring his team-mates along with him and all the responsibility that he's accepted and crushed, basically.
"It's just been incredible. But, at the same time, it's not safe or sustainable to lean on him like that. There's gonna be a lot of consideration and we'll have to figure out ways to give him breaks."
Durant was ice-cold against the 76ers, posting 34 points – including a pair of three-pointers, 11 rebounds and eight assists to lift the Nets.
The Nets are top of the Eastern Conference with a 21-8 record, two and a half games clear of defending champions the Milwaukee Bucks.
Los Angeles Lakers duo Russell Westbrook and Avery Bradley have entered the NBA's health and safety protocols.
The Lakers cancelled practice on Tuesday after guard Talen Horton-Tucker was put into the league's coronavirus protocols.
It was revealed two days later that Westbrook and Bradley have joined Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard and Malik Monk in entering the protocols.
With Westbrook and Bradley unable to travel for Friday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center, it has been reported the Lakers are set to sign Isaiah Thomas.
Two-time All-Star Thomas is to sign a 10-day contract to join a depleted Los Angeles roster under the hardship exemption, according to NBA insider Marc Stein and The Athletic's Shams Charania.
The 32-year-old point guard joined the New Orleans Pelicans on a 10-day contract last season, averaging 7.7 points in his three games.
Zion Williamson is no nearer to a return to NBA action after the New Orleans Pelicans confirmed he would require at least four to six weeks before his foot injury was assessed again.
Williamson has been dogged by fitness issues throughout his NBA career and is yet to feature in 2021-22 due to a foot fracture.
The former first overall pick returned to full team activities in late November, only to suffer further setbacks.
Williamson's training programme was reduced last week and now, in an update on Thursday, the Pelicans have detailed the anticipated minimum length of his lay-off.
"Following a consultation and further evaluation with Dr. Richard Ferkel of the Southern California Orthopedic Institute yesterday, Zion Williamson received a biologic injection into the fracture site to stimulate bone healing in his right foot," the team said.
"Williamson will be limited to low impact, partial weight-bearing activities for an extended period.
"Further updates will be given following further imaging which is anticipated to occur in 4-6 weeks."
The Pelicans, who are a miserable 9-21, could therefore play as many as 18 more games before Williamson is even considered again.
Although New Orleans are 40-45 with Williamson over the past three seasons – compared to 30-59 without him – they are 3.5 games back on the play-in round in the West and look a long shot to recover any sort of playoff push from this campaign.
The Brooklyn Nets might have problems just now, but they sit top of the Eastern Conference and continue their home run on Thursday as they host the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center.
Kevin Durant starred with a triple-double in Brooklyn's overtime win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, dragging the Nets to a 131-129 triumph.
The success came after a whirlwind day for the Nets, who had to place seven players, including James Harden, into the NBA's health and safety protocols due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the camp.
Brooklyn sit on 20 wins from 28 games for the season, with a divisional contest against the Sixers (15-14) next up on Thursday.
Philadelphia went down to the Miami Heat on Wednesday, with Gabe Vincent registering 26 points – including a vital fourth-quarter three-pointer – as Erik Spoelstra's side recorded a 101-96 triumph.
None of Miami's three leading average points-scorers – Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro or Bam Adebayo – were in the line-up, but the Sixers were also without Georges Niang due to the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols - the fifth 76ers star to miss time this season for that reason.
Defeat against the Heat made it consecutive losses for the Sixers, following a 126-91 reverse against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday.
Philadelphia (15-14) sit seventh in the Eastern Conference, with a 5-5 record over the last 10 games in what has been a stop-start campaign thus far as they prepare to challenge the Nets.
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Philadelphia 76ers – Joel Embiid
Embiid has enjoyed a strong recent record against Brooklyn, winning three of his last five encounters with the Nets and personally scoring at least 33 points in each of those victories.
The four-time All-Star has 496 points, 225 rebounds and 62 assists against the Nets across his career, while only Tyrese Maxey (477) has accumulated more points this season for Philadelphia than Embiid (429).
Brooklyn Nets – Kevin Durant
Durant had a game-leading 34 points against the Raptors, as he completed that triple-double – his second of the season – with 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
The former Golden State Warriors star is averaging 29.6 points from 26 games so far in 2021-22, and if his form continues he seems destined to surpass, or come very close to surpassing, his previous best career average of 32.0 set across 81 games in the 2013-14 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He has a 16-3 career record against the Sixers, averaging 27.3 points per game.
KEY BATTLE – High-scorers could settle the contest
With Durant in such strong form, the Sixers will just be thankful, due to Harden's absence, that they are not facing two players that account for six of the 35 triple-doubles so far this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers (Russell Westbrook – five, LeBron James – two) are the only team with more triple-doubles to their name in 2021-22, and Philadelphia must surely look to keep the Nets on six if they are to clinch victory in Brooklyn.
No Philadelphia player has achieved a triple-double this season, while Embiid has been responsible for eight of the team's 17 double-doubles. Brooklyn are already on 31.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
The 76ers certainly have the edge when it comes to recent meetings between the east coast rivals, having won five of the last seven clashes.
However, the Nets won 114-109 at Wells Fargo Center in October, and also won their last home game against Philadelphia back in January.
Austin Reaves admits he had always been the underdog on his way to the NBA, but for one night at least he was the hero for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 23-year-old rookie earned a spot in the Lakers set-up after impressing in the Summer League, and now he is showing up as a big-league prospect, hitting the winning three-pointer against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night with 0.9 seconds left in overtime.
Reaves posted an NBA career-best 15 points and seven rebounds, making five of six three-point shots, earning high praise from superstar team-mate Anthony Davis after the Lakers' 107-104 win.
Davis said: "It's testament to the hard work he's putting in. He's a sponge. He's soaking up all the information that we give him. He wants to learn, he wants to get better.
"He's not afraid of the moment. He's a hard worker. He plays hard, does the right things. Even when we get on him during a game, he's right here accepting the criticism, accepting the help, and applying it on the floor."
LeBron James scored a team-high 24 points, adding three rebounds and five assists, but missed a last-gasp three-point attempt in normal time. The Mavs fumbled the rebound and Wayne Ellington swooped to hit a triple to send the game overtime.
Russell Westbrook (23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists) came up with a clutch three-pointer in overtime, while Davis had 20 points and 12 rebounds.
Both sides traded triples in overtime, but shooting guard Reaves stepped up for the game-winning basket after being found by Westbrook wide open, lifting the Lakers to a 16-13 record with their third straight win.
"Great pass by Russ, great shot by Austin," Davis said. "Didn't even hit the net, it was a huge, huge shot for him."
It was described as "a hell of a shot" by coach Frank Vogel.
Reaves, roared into the locker room by team-mates and drenched in water as a prank, reflected on a tough journey to this moment in his career.
He said: "It's been the story of my life, I've always been under-rated. But at the end of the day you've got to produce on the basketball court
"For me to hit that shot and for my team-mates to have the trust in me to take that shot is very, very special."
The Lakers had players sidelined by COVID-19 protocols, in a sign of the times for the NBA.
James said the team were "kind of living in the moment right now" in that regard.
"There's been a lot going on," he said. "We have a lot of injuries, a lot of mixed line-ups, a lot of guys in protocols, false protocols, things of that nature, so we are what we are as a team right now, and we like where we’re at."
The Los Angeles Lakers claimed a remarkable 107-104 overtime win over the Dallas Mavericks with rookie Austin Reaves clinching the game with a late three-pointer.
LeBron James finished with 24 points, three rebounds and five assists but missed a last-gasp three-point attempt in normal time, but the Mavs fumbled the rebound and Wayne Ellington swooped to hit a triple to send the game overtime.
Russell Westbrook (23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists) came up with a clutch three-pointer in overtime - his only of the game - while Anthony Davis had 20 points and 12 rebounds to lift the Lakers to a 16-13 record with their third straight win.
Both sides had traded triples in overtime but 23-year-old shooting guard Reaves stepped up with scores locked at 104-104 after being found by Westbrook wide open, draining his three-point attempt with 0.9 seconds on the clock.
The Lakers surrendered a good start with a poor second quarter, where the Mavs outscored them 27-14, but defensively were excellent keeping Dallas, who were without Luka Doncic, to 27.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Good Holiday with others out
Jrue Holiday stepped up in the absence of Khris Middleton (knee) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (COVID protocols) with 26 points and 14 assists to lead the Milwaukee Bucks past the Indiana Pacers 114-99. Tyrese Maxey had a game-high 27 points for the 76ers.
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic continued his hot run with another triple-double (27 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists) but the Denver Nuggets lost 124-107 to the Minnesota Timberwolves, as Anthony Edwards scored 10 triples in his 38 points.
The Utah Jazz stretched their winning streak to eight games, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 124-103 with Rudy Gobert (20 points and 17 rebounds) and Donovan Mitchell (27 points and six assists) starring.
Devonte' Graham drained a 65-foot game-winning buzzer beater as the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-110, while Gordon Hayward scored 41 points from 29 minutes on court as the Charlotte Hornets beat the San Antonio Spurs 131-115.
Embiid loses his touch
Joel Embiid missed a late three-point chance to tie the game and shot five of 13 from the field for his 17 points as the Philadelphia 76ers lost 101-96 to the weakened Miami Heat, who were without Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Gabe Vincent landed seven three-pointers in his career-high 26-point haul for the Heat.
Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton missed Wednesday's win over the Indiana Pacers, however the reigning NBA champions are hopeful his knee injury is a short-term problem after positive MRI results.
Middleton had warmed up prior to the 114-99 victory, but did not take his place in the side missing seven players, including superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo – who entered COVID-19 protocols on Tuesday.
Bucks small forward Middleton had hyperextended his left knee in Monday's 117-103 loss to the Boston Celtics and was forced out of the contest.
Milwaukee head coach Mike Budenholzer confirmed Middleton had undergone an MRI which offered reason for encouragement.
"I think we consider everything very fortunate," Budenholzer told reporters. "This should be very minimal and short. We'll see how he feels [Thursday] and going into the game Friday, I think we'll be hopeful."
Antetokounmpo joined Wes Matthews and Donte DiVincenzo in being unavailable due to entering league protocols.
To clear protocols, a player must be out for a minimum of 10 days or return two negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart.
"We'll follow all the guidelines that the league has laid out," Budenholzer said. "Hope he's just healthy and taking care of himself."
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