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CLEVELAND — The Nets are inching closer toward health, with Kevin Durant and Paul Millsap back and available Monday. Joe Harris and Bruce Brown are both out against the Cavaliers and will be evaluated later, but they are progressing.
Durant sat out Friday’s win over Orlando to rest his right shoulder sprain, while Millsap missed the last four games for personal reasons, last playing Nov. 12 in New Orleans. Both practiced Sunday and will be available. Considering Millsap’s layoff, however, it remains to be seen if he plays.
“Kevin is great. I think it served his shoulder well to miss a game,” coach Steve Nash said.
“Paul is available. Whether we go to him or not will be determined. He hasn’t been in the gym all week. So I don’t know if he will play or not, but he’s available.”
Brown was forced out of Friday’s win with left hamstring tightness. He won’t play against the Cavaliers, but hasn’t been ruled out for Wednesday’s tilt in Boston.
Harris’ sprained ankle will be given off both games of the road trip, and reassessed on Friday.
“Bruce, we’re still evaluating as we go. But he’s going to miss [Monday] and we’ll see after that,” Nash said. “Joe, I think, is still out for these next two games, and we’ll evaluate after Thanksgiving.”
Harris has missed the last three games. He played just 13:38 in the Nov. 14 win at Oklahoma City.
“I feel good, but I don’t really know what exactly the timeline was. I basically return when I’m feeling healthy or just able to play really, to be honest,” said Harris, who said he hadn’t discussed a timetable with Nash. “Basically it’s just whenever I feel like I could get up and down.”
At the moment, Harris said he’s not wearing a boot, but still hasn’t done any running yet.
“Just different stuff in the weight room, anti-gravity treadmill, like blood-flow restriction biking. Things like that, where its not like super load bearing,” said Harris, who has yet to be reexamined.
Nic Claxton is still out with a non-COVID-19 illness. The big man told The Post on Saturday that he was “a couple of weeks” away from a return. When told of that assessment, Nash didn’t disagree.
“We’ll have to see how he can get in shape. That’s the big thing. He’s building himself back up, and whenever that is, that is. If he says two weeks, maybe that is. I don’t know. He definitely needs some time,” Nash said, adding a stint with G-League Long Island could be in the cards.
“It’s not out of the question. Whatever it takes to get him back up to where he was before.”
The Nets recalled Day’Ron Sharpe and Cam Thomas from Long Island after both first-round picks had strong G-League outings.
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