Kevin Durant Rips COVID-19 Mandate Impacting Nets' Kyrie Irving: 'It's Ridiculous'

Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant put the team on his back with a 53-point performance in Sunday's 110-107 win over the New York Knicks.

Durant took it upon himself to shoulder the scoring load because the Nets were without star point guard Kyrie Irving, who isn't allowed to play in home games because he refuses to comply with New York City's private sector vaccine mandate.

After the game, Durant told reporters he thought it was "ridiculous" that Irving was forced to miss the game because he's unvaccinated.

"I don't get it. Just feels like at this point now somebody's trying to make a statement or a point to flex their authority," Durant continued. "But everybody's looking for attention and that's what I felt like the mayor wants right now, some attention."

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said last month that the mandate is "unfair" because it allows unvaccinated away athletes to play in games in the city but not unvaccinated home athletes. Despite this, Adams recently indicated that the mandate preventing Irving from playing won't be lifted for the time being.

New York City discontinued vaccine requirements for indoor public spaces on March 7, which allowed Irving to attend Sunday's game as a spectator. Earlier Sunday, Adams responded to a heckler asking him about Irving by saying, "Kyrie can play tomorrow—get vaccinated."

Irving has appeared in 18 games this season and is averaging 25.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists. The Nets have just five road games remaining on their regular-season schedule.

Brooklyn improved to 35-33 with Sunday's win. But the team is trying to improve its standing in the playoff race, and being without Irving for nine of the last 14 games will present a major challenge.