Kevin Durant has slammed his Brooklyn Nets teammates for "f****d-up attitude" after suffering a shock 120-116 defeat to the under-strength Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.

The Clippers charged home in the final quarter, despite Durant's 28 points and nine rebounds, scoring 40-29 to claim the four-point win.

The defeat, with the Clippers missing star trio Kawhi Leonard (ACL), Nicolas Batum (ankle) and Paul George (elbow), left Durant furious with his side.

"We just relaxed too much," Durant said at the post-game news conference. "We get up 10 [points], miss a layup or turn the ball over, and they get a fast break, give up a three, straight-line drive - like coach [Steve Nash] said, we didn't deserve to win this game.

"We came in here with a f****d-up attitude. Thinking we were just going to walk into a W."

He added: "It's natural when a team is missing so many players. They're going through so much over there. [We] relaxed.

"You don't think you could lose an NBA game like this. They're missing how many guys? They're playing guys that are up from the G League.

"Xavier Moon came in and hit some shots for them. Keon Johnson, James Ennis - they all made an impact I felt on the game, and I think we came in too chill to start."

The Nets, who coughed up 15 turnovers, slip to a 23-11 record, while Eastern Conference contenders the Chicago Bulls (24-10) and the Milwaukee Bucks (25-13) both won on Saturday.

Nets head coach Steve Nash lamented his side's lack of "care factor", with the defeat coming two days after going down to the Philadelphia 76ers 110-102.

"I just think [conceding] 71 points in the second half is unacceptable," Nash said. "We just never really had the care factor.

"Turned it up, we had a chance up nine, 10, 11 in the third and fourth at different times and just took our foot off the gas and got what we deserved, really.

"All those guys in there, I think they know it, they're disappointed of course, but it's a disappointment for all of us - that was obviously a very winnable game that we let get away."

James Harden became the first player in Nets franchise history with back-to-back triple-doubles with 30 or more points, with 34 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists against the Clippers.

The Golden State Warriors stormed home with a strong final quarter led by Stephen Curry to halt the Utah Jazz's winning run with a 123-116 victory on Saturday.

The Warriors fought back from a 16-point deficit in the third quarter with a 37-25 final period, going 13 of 18 from the field.

Curry finished the game with 28 points including six three-pointers with six rebounds and nine assists, while Andrew Wiggins contributed with 25 points.

Donovan Mitchell scored 20 points with nine assists, Rudy Gobert had 20 points and 19 rebounds while Bojan Bogdanovic netted 20 points including four triples for the Jazz who had won six in a row.

The result improves the Warriors to 28-7 while the Jazz are 26-10 in the Western Conference.

DeRozan does it again

DeMar DeRozan became the first player to hit a game-winning buzzer beater in successive games since 1997-98 as the Chicago Bulls won 120-119 over the Washington Wizards. DeRozan finished with 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Zach LaVine had 35 points for the Bulls. Bradley Beal had 27 points and 17 assists for the Wizards.

Giannis Antetokounmpo started the year with a triple-double as the Milwaukee Bucks claimed their sixth straight win, beating the New Orleans Pelicans 136-113. Antetokounmpo scored 35 points with 16 rebounds and 10 assists.

Nikola Jokic scored 34 points with 11 rebounds and Facundo Campazzo delivered 22 points and 12 assists as the Denver Nuggets won 124-111 over the Houston Rockets.

Nets beaten as stars shooting off

The Brooklyn Nets stars were back together but they were humbled by the depleted Los Angeles Clippers 120-116. Kevin Durant shot 11 of 24 from the field for his 28 points while James Harden went nine of 22 from the field. Harden did have 34 points with 12 rebounds and 13 assists.

All-Star point guard Luka Doncic has cleared the NBA's health and safety protocols and is set to return for the Dallas Mavericks in Sunday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Doncic is one of the three Mavericks who have cleared protocols, after the Slovenian entered prior to Christmas.

The 22-year-old will likely be joined by shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr. and power forward Maxi Kleber in returning for Sunday's game.

Doncic is averaging 25.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 8.5 assists this season for the Mavericks but has not played since December 10.

The 2020 and 2021 All-Star aggravated a sprained left ankle in a loss to the Indiana Pacers on December 10 and missed the next five games before entering protocols.

Doncic has subsequently missed the Mavericks' past 10 games with the side going 5-5 to hold a 17-18 record for the season.

LeBron James is taking pride from the efficiency of his supreme scoring streak with the Los Angeles Lakers.

One day after turning 37, the NBA icon had a season-high 43 points as the Lakers routed the Portland Trail Blazers 139-106 at home on Friday.

The Lakers improved to 18-19 on the season and James extended his remarkable run of 30-point games to seven, the first time he has done that since 2013.

James is nearing his best streak of 10 such games he recorded with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005-06.

He is averaging 36 points per game over his seven-game stretch, making 57.8 per cent of his shots from the field.

James was 16 of 26 shooting and connected with five three-pointers as the Trail Blazers were crushed, giving him his 67th career 40-point game and sixth for the Lakers in his fourth season with the team.

"If that is what our team needs to win, I am OK with that," said James, per ESPN.

"I am not a guy who goes out and sees if I can jack up a bunch of shots. 

"The streak I have been on with my scoring I have been efficient. I take pride in that as a player."

James also became the oldest player in NBA history to have a game with at least 40 points and 14 rebounds.

Asked about that record, he added: "I don't feel like I have been in the league 19 years. When I am daily reminded of it, I feel it sometimes.

"Sometimes you do have to remind people you can still do what you can do at a high level.

"I literally try to prepare my mind and my body and my soul on how I can stay young in a young man's game.

"Because that's what it all boils down to. It boils down to putting the work in and everything else will take care of itself."

Russell Westbrook (15 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists) recorded a triple-double for the Lakers, his ninth of the season, while there were 18 points from Malik Monk, but James was the clear standout.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel, who cleared the league's COVID-19 protocols to take his place on the sideline against the Trail Blazers, was thrilled with the veteran's impact.

"This is just LeBron James playing at a superior level more than what is happening around him," he said.

"While Anthony Davis is out, he is intent on doing everything he can to pile up wins and play at an extra-high level."

Up next for the Lakers, who had lost six of seven prior to this morale-boosting win, is a home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves (16-19) on Sunday.

DeMar DeRozan believes the sky is the limit for the surging Chicago Bulls as their resilient winning streak continued against the Indiana Pacers.

The Bulls grabbed a dramatic 108-106 road win on Friday, their sixth straight NBA triumph meaning they ended 2021 sitting top of the Eastern Conference at 23-10.

Chicago were without head coach Billy Donovan for a fourth straight game due to health and safety protocols, with Lonzo Ball absent for the same reason, while Alex Caruso is still out with a foot injury.

They were missing 10 players at one stage in December after a COVID-19 outbreak.

DeRozan, who hit an incredible buzzer-beating three-pointer to see off the Pacers, takes huge encouragement from the Bulls' fine form while the team has been undermanned.

"We have been battling COVID protocols with our coach, our players, for what has felt like the last two months," DeRozan said, per ESPN.

"For the team to be able to hold on, sustain like we are doing and end the year top of our conference, it speaks volumes to the type of team we are. 

"And [it speaks volumes to] the type of team we can be once we get back to full strength."

DeRozan paid tribute to teammate Coby White, who hustled to grab a crucial rebound before the game-winning shot off one leg from 28 feet.

White also connected with six of seven attempts from behind the arc in a 24-point display, but it was DeRozan who took the plaudits with a game-high 28 and a +18 point differential.

DeRozan is the league leader for both total points and points per game in the fourth quarter.

This was his second career buzzer-beater and the first for a Bulls player since Jimmy Butler in 2016.

"For that shot to go in was a big-time relief for me," added four-time All Star DeRozan, who is in his first season with the Bulls after spells with the Toronto Raptors and San Antonio Spurs.

"We were battling that whole fourth quarter, feeling like nothing was going our way on both ends.

"We couldn't get a rebound. We couldn't get going offensively. It felt like we were getting beat up here and there. 

"By the time I looked up at the clock, I said, 'All right, I got to make something happen'. I just tried to get enough space, get it up, get it over and as soon as it left my hand it felt good.

"I'm a firm believer in, as long as I got time I got a chance.

"Sometimes it's going to be rough nights, and you have got to understand, as long as there's time on that clock you can figure out something to do to pull out a victory. That's what we did."

The Bulls are back in action at the Washington Wizards (18-17) on Saturday.

Moreso than any other team in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers have lived at opposite ends of the league over the last two decades. 

Since 2002-03, Cleveland has finished with 25 or fewer wins in seven different seasons, tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the most in basketball.

But those seven dreadful seasons have also yielded some generational talents in the NBA Draft, most notably LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, leading to eight seasons with 50 or more wins over that span, the most in the Eastern Conference and the fourth most in the NBA. 

In the three full campaigns since James left Cleveland for the second time, the Cavs have gone an NBA-worst 60-159, but fans in Ohio are hopeful that this season's 20-15 start is evidence that those lean years have produced enough talent to fuel a franchise turnaround yet again.

Last season the Cavs accrued 34 losses before earning their 20th win, but their improvement runs even deeper. 

Cleveland has improved in almost every significant statistical category, but the growth on defense has been dramatic. Last year's squad had one of the league's five worst defenses, allowing 112.1 points per 100 possessions. This year, the Cavaliers are allowing 102.2 points per 100 possessions, the third-best mark in the league and the top in the East.

When combined with an offense that has shown incremental improvement, the Cavaliers have a net rating of +5.2 per 100 possessions, the fourth best in the NBA and ahead of fellow Eastern contenders like the Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat and reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks.

All of this has come with Cleveland facing the NBA's third-toughest schedule so far, with an average opponents' win percentage of .526. 

While some predicted that the Cavs' hot start would fizzle out into another losing season, the team has maintained its wining ways through nearly half the season and looks to be in position to continue.

Despite playing in a division with the Bucks and surprisingly good Chicago Bulls, Cleveland's remaining schedule is the easiest in the NBA by opponents’ average win percentage, with a majority of the upcoming being played at home.

Rookie Evan Mobley, selected with the third overall pick in July's draft, has been the catalyst for Cleveland's transformation this season. The 20-year-old big man is fourth in rookie scoring at 14.3 points per game but has made an all-around impact more typical of a veteran than a player who was in high school two years ago.

The Cavs' selection of the seven-footer Mobley was criticized by some pundits as redundant after the franchise had just re-signed center Jarrett Allen to a contract worth $100million earlier last offseason. 

Mobley and Allen have answered critics by forging one of the most formidable frontcourt defenses in the NBA. When Mobley and Allen are on the court together, the Cavaliers have a preposterous 95.3 defensive rating and opponents are shooting just 40.7 percent from the floor.

In a league that continues to downsize, Mobley has started most of his games at power forward, but the Cavs have found they do not sacrifice much offensively because their young star is so skilled and versatile.

While Allen has thrived around the rim this season, Mobley has the skill and athleticism to play everywhere, spacing the floor and keeping the ball moving on offense while smothering all sizes of players on defense.

Credit is due to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who identified early on that his frontcourt players were talented enough that he could buck the league's small-ball trend by starting his twin towers lineup.

Bickerstaff also had the courage to tell Kevin Love, the team's highest-paid player, that he would be coming off the bench. Love, who has been openly disgruntled about Cleveland's losing records in previous years, has embraced his new role and has seen a resurgence in both enthusiasm and efficiency.

The Cavaliers have been so pleased with Bickerstaff's leadership, in fact, that the parties agreed to a multiyear extension last week that keeps him under contract through the 2026-27 season.

Bickerstaff, Mobley and Allen – who is still just 23 years old – form a foundation that Cleveland intends to build upon for the next several years.

The Cavs' other unquestioned franchise staple is point guard Darius Garland, who has continued to improve in his third year. Garland is on pace for career-highs with 19.5 points per game, 7.3 assists per game and 47.9-percent shooting from the field. 

Garland has been forced to shoulder a heavy offensive burden and will be an even more vital player as the Cavs entered the second half of the season.

Backcourt mate and last year's leading scorer Collin Sexton was lost for the season after tearing cartilage in his left knee on Nov. 7.

Sexton's injury forced veteran guard Ricky Rubio into a more prominent role, a combination that worked very well for several weeks until Rubio suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Tuesday, ending his season as well.

The thinning of their backcourt led to the Cavs trading for the 16th-year veteran as an experienced floor general just before the calendar flipped to 2022.

It looks as if the 2021-22 season will be one of attrition, and a lack of depth may ultimately prevent the Cavaliers from maintaining an elite point differential in the East. But with a team so young, the franchise would have to be pleased just to play in the postseason again.

Going forward, however, Cleveland faces a crossroads decision in the coming offseason with Sexton's contract. The fourth-year guard is in the final year of his rookie deal, and the front office must decide if the Garland-Sexton backcourt combination is the best long-term option.

Sexton averaged 24.3 points per game last season, making it seem like offering him an extension would be the obvious solution. But high-scoring numbers like that typically demand a maximum contract – in this case, $173million over five years.

Garland and Sexton both stand just 6ft1, creating some flexibility issues. Since the latter was drafted in 2018, the Cavaliers have been wiling to live with a defensive liability in the backcourt as they focused on collecting talent and developing young players.

But now that Cleveland appears ready to make a run at the playoffs, more serious questions must be answered.

During Sexton's four-season tenure, the Cavs have allowed a staggering 115.5 points per 100 possessions while he is on the court versus 107.2 when he sits.

And despite Sexton's impressive scoring numbers, Cleveland's offensive numbers while he his on and off the court are virtually identical – over a sample size of over 12,000 minutes.

Paying Sexton long-term could lock in a future where the Cavs have the league's smallest backcourt and largest frontcourt, making them vulnerable to perimeter shot creators with size, the kind that has proven to be invaluable in postseason play.

All of that said, any team would be foolish to surrender a talented scorer like Sexton for nothing. A small-market team like Cleveland would be outright negligent. He is likely to get his extension, especially with the entire core being so young.

Garland, Sexton, Mobley and Allen have played less than 120 minutes on the floor together, and Cleveland's brass is likely to want to see them grow a bit more together.

Plus, teams in markets that are not free agency destinations simply do not have the luxury of being so choosy about trying to construct the ideal roster.

Although this Cavs team has some quirks that might project into a playoff ceiling in the future, Cleveland's front office has organically built a fun team – and one that appears to be a winner.

That is something the Cavs haven't done without LeBron James since last century.

Rajon Rondo has reportedly been traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers by the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Athletic's Shams Chanaria reported the two sides had agreed to a deal to give the Cavs crucial backcourt help following an injury to Ricky Rubio.

Rubio suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in Cleveland's game with the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.

He had played a critical creative role for the Cavs, who are fifth in the Eastern Conference at 20-15. His 6.6 assists per game rank 15th in the NBA.

Rondo, 35, will look to help fill the void having received limited playing time for the Lakers this season.

His average of 16.1 minutes per game is the lowest of Rondo's career, which is in its 16th year.

Unsurprisingly given his minutes, Rondo is averaging career-lows in points per game (3.1) and assists (3.7) while he is shooting at a career-low 32.4 per cent from the field.

The Golden State Warriors won a potential Western Conference Finals preview on Christmas Day and will look to mark the New Year by prevailing in another on the road at the Utah Jazz.

Golden State are tied for the best record in the NBA at 27-7 and the Warriors beat the team level with them, the Phoenix Suns, in Arizona on their previous away trip.

Since then, the Warriors have paid the price for a slow start in a narrow home defeat to the Denver Nuggets and seen a return clash in Colorado postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak within their opponents' camp.

That at least gave the Warriors the chance for extra rest ahead of a meeting with the red-hot Jazz, who are third in the conference with a 25-9 record and riding a five-game winning streak.

They maintained their winning run without star point guard Donovan Mitchell, who has missed the previous two games with a strained back, Rudy Gobert leading Utah to a 120-105 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers last time out.

Utah will hope Mitchell returns to set up a compelling matchup with the NBA's three-point king Stephen Curry, who became the first man to reach 3,000 career three-pointers in that defeat to the Nuggets.

Curry will predictably shoulder the scoring burden for the Warriors as the long-awaited return of his 'Splash Brother' Klay Thompson from a two-season-long absence grows closer.

With Draymond Green and Jordan Poole both in the NBA's coronavirus protocol, it may have to be a one-man show in Salt Lake City if the Warriors are to prevail, Golden State having scored under 90 points for the first time this season in the loss to Denver.

PIVOTAL PERFORMERS

Golden State Warriors – Andrew Wiggins

Minus Curry's chief facilitator in Green and emerging young guard Poole, the primary support for the Warriors' main man must come from Wiggins.

The former number one overall pick has finally found a home with the Warriors and leads the team with an effective field goal percentage of 56.6.

Utah Jazz – Rudy Gobert

The man known as the Stifle Tower is enjoying a magnificent season.

France international Gobert leads the league in rebounds per game (14.9) and field goal percentage (71.6), while he is second for blocks per game (2.3). However, given Curry's tendency for feasting on centers, the Jazz will surely try to avoid getting him isolated on the Golden State star.

KEY BATTLE – Can Mitchell master Chef Curry?

Mitchell has been sensational when on the court this season. He is averaging 25.4 points per game while his plus-minus per game of 7.6 is the eighth-best in the NBA.

However, both those numbers are inferior to Curry, who is second in the league with 27.7 points and leads the NBA with an average plus-minus of 11.7.

Few players can claim to have come anywhere close to matching Curry's overall influence this campaign. Mitchell's ability to do so on New Year's Day could have a huge bearing on who eventually claims the one seed in the West.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Warriors have won their past two games against the Jazz, though both of those triumphs came at home. Golden State's most recent win in the Beehive state came back in October 2018. 

James Harden felt "carelessness" on rebounds proved costly for the Brooklyn Nets as they were beaten by the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

Despite the return from COVID-19 protocols of Kevin Durant, who put up 33 points, the Eastern Conference Leaders lost 110-102 at Barclays Center.

The Nets responded to falling behind in a high-scoring first quarter to lead by seven points in the third, Harden assisting Durant for two three-point jumpers in the space of 23 seconds.

However, Philadelphia mounted a late comeback before easing to a win that saw them improve to 19-16 for the season.

Harden tied Durant as top scorer for the Nets as he recorded a triple-double of 33 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. It was his sixth of the season, a tally surpassed only by the Los Angeles Lakers' Russell Westbrook (eight).

Still, he was frustrated that they let their third-quarter lead slip by giving up too many opportunities.

"They've got more than enough talent to have a really good game after a really good first quarter," he said.

"We climbed back into the game, did a really good job locking down defensively and just doing what we were supposed to do. Obviously, 16 points in that second quarter, we got a chance in that third quarter, went up by eight or something, but we allowed them to get offensive rebounds and more shots in general.

"The rebounds were] a little bit of carelessness, a little bit of decision-making. I had a couple I wish I could have got back. That's the game right there. You talk about it in training camp, not allowing the opposing team to get so many more shots than us. Tonight was a case of that."

Next up for the Nets is a home game with the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday before they head to the Indiana Pacers next Wednesday, when Kryie Irving could make his first appearance of the season.

Irving, who was back on the practice court this week, is unvaccinated against COVID-19 and so is only able to play in road games due to New York City regulations.

Harden said of his team-mate: "He looked like Kyrie: elite. The same Kyrie. We're happy to have him back and we've got to get him on the court."

Title-winning NBA head coach Doc Rivers is "feeling good" despite entering the league's health and safety protocols on Thursday.

Dan Burke, who will step in as the Philadelphia 76ers acting coach in Rivers' absence, said the 60-year-old was in good health and spirits while isolating.

Rivers is one of seven NBA head coaches who has entered protocols, amid the rising COVID-19 surge around the league.

"He says he feels good. He's not the least bit worried," Burke told reporters about Rivers.

"If there's anybody who just takes things in stride and keeps it real and keeps it relative, it's Doc. That's the lead we've got to follow."

On Thursday, the 76ers are due to play the Eastern Conference-leading Brooklyn Nets who will be bolstered by the return of Kevin Durant after clearing protocols.

Rivers, who guided the Boston Celtics to the 2008 NBA title, has helped the 76ers to an 18-16 record this season.

Draymond Green has questioned the NBA as he felt the Denver Nuggets will gain an advantage after the cancellation of their clash with the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors were set to face Denver in the second of a two-game showdown on Friday, but a coronavirus outbreak within Michael Malone's camp has forced the game to be called off.

The Nuggets were left without the necessary eight players for the clash to go ahead, while coach Malone entered the league's health and safety protocols on Thursday along with other staff members, including two assistant coaches, according to reports.

On the same day, forwards Jeff Green and Zeke Nnaji and guard Bones Hyland had also entered protocols, with injuries to several Nuggets players leaving them short-handed.

But Warriors forward Green, who was absent due to protocols for Tuesday's 89-86 loss to the Nuggets, was left frustrated by the postponement as he thinks his side will be disadvantaged by the decision.

"How do you continue to cancel games when you've implemented rules to prevent this from happening?" Green posted to Twitter. "Is that not a competitive advantage for other teams?

"The guys we didn't have due to the protocol list played no role in Tuesday's loss? Pick a side but don't straddle the fence.

"So when the game is rescheduled (which will probably take a day away from our "break"), we will play them at full strength... But they got to sneak a win when we weren't at full strength, only two days ago??? Let's make it make some sense here."

It is the 11th game to be postponed this season for coronavirus-related issues, though Green is worried about the scheduling issues it may cause.

The Golden State star added: "Not to mention, this will more than likely add a back to back to our schedule, which is also advantage Denver."

In Malone's absence, assistant coach David Adelman will reportedly serve as acting head coach for the Nuggets.

Malone is the seventh NBA coach to enter the protocols, joining Doc Rivers (Philadelphia), Frank Vogel (Lakers), Monty Williams (Phoenix), Billy Donovan (Chicago), Chauncey Billups (Portland) and Mark Daigneault (Oklahoma City).

The Warriors are next due to be in action against the Utah Jazz on Sunday when Denver face the Houston Rockets.

LeBron James applauded Ja Morant's performance as he led the Memphis Grizzlies to a 104-99 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers were ahead in the third quarter, but a dazzling display from Morant – including a late flourish – saw the Grizzlies come back from behind to claim victory.

The 22-year-old scored 41 points in total, the second time he has broken the 40-point barrier in two games against the Lakers this season.

James, who managed to equal a career-high record of eight three-pointers in the defeat, claimed the quality of Morant's shooting made him nearly unstoppable, with the Grizzlies star recording six for seven from beyond the arc.

"When you shoot the ball as well as he did tonight from the perimeter, with his speed and his athleticism, it's going be hard to contain a guy like that because he's doing the whole three levels of scoring," James said after the game.

"You can't, there's nothing you can do. He has you at his beck [and call]."

Lakers guard Malik Monk agreed with his team-mate, adding that the free throws his side gave away helped Morant find his range.

"We started fouling, man, and he went to the free throw line and started seeing the ball go in, and he got his rhythm that way," Monk said.

"And when a guy gets it going like that, there's not much you can do."

Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins credited Morant with leading by example and spurring the side on to victory from a losing position late on.

"What an unbelievable night by [Morant], the tone he was setting throughout the game," Jenkins said.

"When he got going, it just kind of fuelled everyone else, and we kind of just broke loose there in that third quarter."

Kyrie Irving admitted it has been tough to watch the Brooklyn Nets from the sidelines as he marked his return to the practice court on Wednesday.

Irving returned to Nets' practice for the first time since preseason after the franchise decided in October to make him unavailable due to New York City's vaccine mandate and his unvaccinated status.

The Nets reversed that decision a fortnight ago when they announced the 29-year-old would return on a part-time basis for away games, despite remaining unvaccinated, with the side short on numbers following a surge of players in the NBA's health and safety protocols.

Irving's return to the practice court was delayed by him entering protocols a day after the Nets' announcement earlier this month, but he has now been cleared.

"I'm incredibly grateful just to be back in the building," Irving told reporters speaking for the first time publicly since mid-October. "Welcomed back with open arms [from] my teammates, the whole organisation.

"I'm not going to lie, it has been relatively tough to watch from the sidelines with everything going on in the world. I know everybody is feeling it. Just praying for everybody to be healthy during these times."

Irving will only be permitted to play away games and head coach Steve Nash said he would need a couple of weeks to get into NBA-ready condition.

"If I get the opportunity to get on the court and play with my teammates, even if it is just on the road for away games, I am grateful for the opportunity," Irving said.

"I've missed so much time. It's my first day back around the block with the guys and it felt like it's been a long time.

"It's only been, what, three months or so, but it has felt like the days have been slowly crossed off the calendar while I am sitting at home. When I thought about [returning to practice] last night, I could barely sleep.

"I understood their [the Nets'] decision and respected it. I really had to sit back and think and try not to become too emotionally attached to what they were deciding to do. I had to really evaluate things and see it from their perspective, meaning the organisation, my teammates.

"I really empathised, and I understood their choice to say if you are not going to be fully vaccinated, then you can't be a full [participant]."

The Nets are currently top of the Eastern Conference with a 23-9 record and play the Philadelphia 76ers at the Barclays Center on Thursday, which Irving will be unavailable for.

Five of the Nets' next six games are at home.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been dealt a major blow after it was confirmed Ricky Rubio will miss the rest of the 2021-22 season.

Rubio buckled as he planted in the lane during the fourth quarter of Tuesday's road game at the New Orleans Pelicans.

The 31-year-old, who has played a big role in the Cavaliers' strong start to the season in his first year with the team, clutched his left knee and was in clear distress. He had to be helped to his feet and to the locker room for further assessment.

Rubio was unable to put any weight on his left leg and further tests on Wednesday revealed the guard had torn his anterior cruciate ligament, ending his campaign early. 

With Darius Garland having entered the NBA's Health and Safety Protocols, Rubio started at point against the Pelicans and had 27 points while adding 13 rebounds and nine assists in what was a 104-108 defeat for Cleveland.

Rubio had enjoyed a fine start to life with the Cavs, having averaged a joint career-high 13.1 points per game through 34 appearances since his arrival from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Cavs sit fifth in the Eastern Conference, with a 20-14 record.