Inside The Heat

Brooklyn Nets' Star Kevin Durant Set To Return Thursday Against the Miami Heat

Miami Heat will be the first team to see Durant in nearly two months

Shandel Richardson

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The Miami Heat have the first opportunity to face Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant in nearly two months. 

Durant is expected to return after being out since Jan. 16 because of a sprained MCL. The Nets were second in the Eastern Conference at the time of injury. In Durant's absence, they went just 5-16. 

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Miami Heat will be the first team to see Kevin Durant in nearly two months

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Miami Heat will be the first team to see Kevin Durant in nearly two months

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Miami Heat will be the first team to see Kevin Durant in nearly two months

The Nets hinted he was coming back on their official Twitter page. They posted a picture of Durant captioned with the words, "The return." 

The Heat, who lost to two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday night, will now see two of the league's most dynamic players on back-to-back nights. 

The Nets are a different team since the Durant injury. At the trade deadline, they acquired Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for James Harden. 

The Nets were considered the favorite in the East at the beginning of the season. Problems arose when guard Kyrie Irving missed half of the games because of his unwillingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Harden was dealing with unhappiness on the roster and the Durant injury just added to the issues. 

After defeating the Chicago Bulls Monday, the Heat will face three of the more intriguing teams in the East in consecutive games. 

MORE RELATED HEAT STORIES

The latest on Victor Oladipo attempt to return. CLICK HERE

Bam Adebayo making it happen on the defensive end. CLICK HERE

Heat improve to 3-0 against the Chicago Bulls this season. CLICK HERE

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here

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