NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant left what ended up being his final game with the Brooklyn Nets after getting hurt similar to the way Nikola Jokic just was.
In fact, Durant missed time two seasons in a row with a knee injury caused when someone fell into his leg.
“One thing I don’t want to see with Nikola is like, they started calling me ‘injury prone’ after that, but hopefully they don’t start with him because it’s one of those freak injuries that you can't really control,” Durant said Thursday night after the Rockets beat the Nets 120-96 in his return to Brooklyn.
“You can do all the work you can, but somebody falls into your knee, that’s just tough.”
Jokic, the three-time NBA MVP, was hurt Monday night in Miami when Denver teammate Spencer Jones stepped on the center's left foot while defending a drive by Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. as time was about to expire in the second quarter. Jokic’s knee buckled a bit and he collapsed to the court, grabbing at the knee.
The Nuggets said Tuesday he will be evaluated again in four weeks.
Durant sprained the medial collateral ligament of his left knee in January 2022 when teammate Bruce Brown was knocked backward and fell into his knee. He ended up missing 21 games with that injury.
Then, Durant was hurt on the same court as Jokic when then-Heat star Jimmy Butler fell backward into his right knee in a Jan. 8, 2023, game, causing another sprained ligament. He never played again for the Nets, who traded him to Phoenix a month later. He finally got on the court for the Suns in March after a 20-game absence.
Jokic's injury was a hyperextension, perhaps allowing him to return more quickly.
“So it’s good to see it’s only four weeks and it’s not anything too big,” Durant said. “It wasn’t an MCL sprain or Level 2, it felt like it was just a tweak and he’s going to be back out there soon. He’s great for the game and you want to see the best players on the floor at all times.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) walks on the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) handles the ball against Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson scored 23 seconds apart in the second period, and the Montreal Canadiens erased a two-goal deficit in beating the Carolina Hurricanes 7-5 on Thursday night.
Sammy Blais had a goal and an assist for the Canadiens, who have a five-game point streak after winning for the third time in four games. Nick Suzuki, Oliver Kapanen, Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson also scored.
Alexander Texier added two assists and Jakub Dobes made 20 saves for Montreal.
Sebastian Aho had two goals and three assists to become the first Carolina player with more than three points in a game this season. Andrei Svechnikov and Nikolaj Ehlers each added a goal and two assists. Alexander Nikishin had one goal and one assist, but the Hurricanes lost for the second time in their last six home games.
Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi stopped 16 shots but took his second regulation loss in 16 games. He was trying to match the franchise record of 13 consecutive games with at least one team point.
Suzuki, who scored the last two Montreal goals Tuesday at Florida, scored 3:12 into the game and the Canadiens went up 2-0 just 56 seconds later on Kapanen’s goal.
The Hurricanes had rapid-fire offense with goals from Ehlers, Aho and Svechnikov in a span of about four minutes. Carolina’s second power-play goal came from Nikishin only 54 seconds into the second period for a 4-2 lead.
When Blais scored at 5:01 of the second, the Canadiens had three goals on eight shots. Caufield and Anderson scored at 16:23 and 16:46, respectively, to regain the lead.
Slafkovsky gave Montreal a 6-4 cushion at 11:20 of the third. Aho’s second goal came with 3:02 remaining after Bussi was pulled for an extra skater. Hutson's empty-netter came with two minutes left.
Canadiens: Saturday at St. Louis.
Hurricanes: Saturday at home against Colorado.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Montréal Canadiens' Adam Engstrom (42) looses control of the puck when approaching Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Carolina Hurricanes' William Carrier (28) has his shot blocked by the skate of Montréal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) to prevent a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Montréal Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher (11) controls the puck behind Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Montréal Canadiens' Lane Hutson (48) controls the puck against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Montréal Canadiens' Oliver Kapanen (91), Ivan Demidov, center, and Noah Dobson (53) celebrate a goal by Sammy Blais, not shown, against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
