Durant, Irving out for Christmas Day game vs. LeBron, Lakers originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Brooklyn Nets will be without Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on Christmas Day.
Durant and Irving still remain in the NBA's health and safety protocols and will miss Saturday night's game against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Brooklyn will have one superstar as James Harden will return to the court after missing multiple games due to health and safety protocols.
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Durant, 33, has been one of the Nets' most consistent players this season, averaging 29.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game and shooting 52.3 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from 3-point range.
Durant is also playing heavy minutes for Brooklyn, averaging 37 minutes per game, the most since his 2013-14 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Irving has yet to make his season debut after the Nets agreed to allow him to practice and play with the team during road games early last week
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The Nets currently hold the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 21-9 record.
If Brooklyn wants to maintain the top spot in the conference ahead of the Chicago Bulls, they will need to have their superstars back in the fold.
