Kevin Durant among 7 Nets players ruled out for Christmas game vs. Lakers in COVID protocols

The Brooklyn Nets announced on Friday that Kevin Durant and six other players have been ruled out for their Christmas road game against the Los Angeles Lakers in COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Joe Harris also remains sidelined with an ankle injury, leaving the Nets down eight players in total.

Kyrie Irving, LaMarcus Aldridge, Kessler Edwards, Day'Ron Sharpe, Cam Thomas and David Duke Jr. join Durant in COVID-19 protocols. Brooklyn's last three games were postponed amid the outbreak on the roster.

Irving has yet to play for the Nets this season amid a New York City mandate prohibiting unvaccinated players from accessing arenas. He's eligible to compete in most road games and recently rejoined the team as a part-time player. He would otherwise have been eligible to make his season debut against the Lakers had he not landed in COVID-19 protocols.

James Harden, others cleared for Christmas

Bruce Brown and James Johnson were cleared from protocols on Friday and are eligible to play on Saturday. The Nets announced on Thursday that James Harden and Paul Millsap were also activated from protocols and available to play against the Lakers.

The Lakers-Nets matchup is one of five games slated for Christmas as the NBA manages a league-wide COVID-19 outbreak amid the nationwide spike attributed to the Omicron variant.