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Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving made his Barclays Center debut on March 13 in the team’s matchup against the New York Knicks. But as a spectator. Irving had the best seat in the house to watch a 53 point outing by his co-star Kevin Durant in a 110-107 victory over the Knicks. When asked about Irving’s remaining part-time status, Durant slammed New York City Mayor Eric Adams for his decision to not lift the New York City private-sector mandate that is prohibiting Kyrie from playing.
“It’s ridiculous,” Durant said via Nick Friedell of ESPN. “I don’t understand it at all. There are a few people in our arena that’s unvaxxed, right? They lifted all of that in our arena, right? So, I don’t get it … I don’t get it. It just feels like at this point now, somebody’s trying to make a statement or a point to flex their authority. But everybody out here is looking for attention and that’s what I feel like the mayor wants right now, is some attention. But he’ll figure it out soon. He better.”
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Kevin Durant Answers To Backlash for Confronting Eric Adams
In the aftermath of his comments toward the New York City Mayor, Durant released a statement on Monday going into more detail about his thoughts.
“The last two years have been a difficult and painful time for New Yorkers, as well as a very confusing time with the changing landscape of the rules and mandates. I do appreciate the task the Mayor has in front of him with all the city has been through,” Durant said per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.
“My frustration with the situation doesn’t change the fact that I will always be committed to helping the communities and cities I live in and play in.”
Durant Slams New York City Private-Sector Mandate:
Irving missed the first 35 games of the season after the Nets sidelined him for his decision to remain unvaccinated, which used to be a requirement to anyone who entered the Barclays Center. But as the New York City COVID cases have continued to decrease, the vaccine and mask mandate for people inside of the Barclays Center has been lifted.
However, because New York City’s private sector mandate is still in effect, Kyrie is not yet eligible to participate as a player in Brooklyn Nets’ home games. But Irving is still allowed to be in the building and even sit on the bench and participate in team practices. It is a wrinkle in the mandate that Durant says doesn’t make any sense.
“But it just didn’t make any sense. There’s unvaxxed people in this building already. We got a guy who can come in the building, I guess, are they fearing our safety? I don’t get it,” Durant said per ESPN’s Nick Friedell. “ We’re all confused. Pretty much everybody in the world is confused at this point. Early on in the season people didn’t understand what was going on, but now it just looks stupid.”
Irving’s status is a cloud that has hung over the Nets’ head all season. And with the playoffs less than a month away, and the Nets still having hopes of avoiding a play-in game to make the postseason, each game that Irving is ineligible to play increases the team’s chances of suffering a loss that they cannot afford. It will be interesting to see how the situation eventually plays out.
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