The Oklahoma City Thunder will have backup big Mike Muscala back against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday evening, head coach Mark Daigneault said in a pregame press conference.
Muscala left the game against the New York Knicks in the fourth quarter due to a rib contusion. He got hit in the same spot he had suffered a bruise a few weeks earlier, forcing him out.
He did not return to the game, which turned into a blowout lead for the Thunder. Muscala is on track to not miss a full game due to the injury.
Meanwhile, the Nets will be getting back one of their stars. Forward Kevin Durant, who missed the last three games due to coronavirus protocol, is active, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
Point guard Kyrie Irving, however, remains out for personal reasons, Bontemps tweeted. This will be Irving’s third game out in a row.
Durant has averaged 28.2 points this season while shooting at ridiculous clips of 51.4% from the field and 45.5% from 3. He is also posting 7.0 rebounds and 4.8 assist per game.
Irving has played seven games this season, during which he has averaged 27.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists while shooting 50.4% from the field and 42.6% from 3.
Muscala is having the best season of his career, averaging 10.3 points while shooting 42.9% from 3 on 5.3 attempts per game.
The Thunder (4-4) will tip off against the Nets (5-5) at 5 p.m.
