Kevin Durant pulled twice from game vs Raptors due to Health and Safety protocols

Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant couldn’t start a game and then couldn’t finish it, removed in the third quarter because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

The NBA initially asked the Brooklyn Nets star not to play while awaiting the results of a test done by a person with whom KD had spoken in the afternoon.

Via Associated press:

“NBA spokesman Tim Frank said in a statement that Durant had tested negative three times in the last 24 hours, including two negative PCR tests Friday. He said someone whom Durant interacted with in the afternoon had an inconclusive test result return shortly before the game. Durant was initially held out while that result was being reviewed.

"Under the league’s health and safety protocols, we do not require a player to be quarantined until a close contact has a confirmed positive test," Frank said. "During the game, a positive result was returned for the person Durant interacted with. … Once that test was confirmed positive, out of an abundance of caution, Durant was removed from the game."

Frank said contact tracing is underway to determine if Durant was in close contact of the individual who tested positive.

Durant played as a reserve for the first time after 867 NBA games.