James Harden, Six Other Nets Players in NBA's Health And Safety Protocols

Eight Brooklyn players will be available against Toronto, the league minimum for each team before postponing a game for a team outbreak.

The Nets will only have eight players against Toronto on Tuesday evening after James Harden and six other players entered the league's health and safety protocols. 

Harden and Bruce Brown are the latest Brooklyn players to enter protocols after the news broke earlier on Tuesday that starters LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre' Bembry as well as Jevon Carter and James Johnson were listed on the injury report for the same reason. On Monday, Paul Millsap was placed in health and safety protocols. 

Kevin Durant was originally listed on the injury report for right ankle soreness; however, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday night that the forward will be among the eight available against the Raptors. 

Brooklyn has listed Durant as available for tonight.

They have 8 players available vs. Toronto:

P. Mills
C. Thomas
K. Durant
B. Griffin
N. Claxton
D. Sharpe
D. Duke
K. Edwards https://t.co/fN4EK3rkdo

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) December 14, 2021

Brooklyn has played shorthanded all season after Kyrie Irving refused to get vaccinated, leaving him unavailable for home games due to the New York City mandate. The team elected not to make Irving a part-time player and prevented him from playing in road games, too. A recent report from The Athletic's Shams Charania indicates the Nets may be changing their stance on that, however.

The league has already postponed two Bulls games this week after 10 players entered health and safety protocols, marking them as the first game postponements of the season. The NBA mandates a minimum of eight players for each team before postponing a game for a team outbreak.

The Nets are 19–8 this season and currently lead the Eastern Conference.