James Harden: Kevin Durant Drama vs. Raptors 'Overwhelming' and 'Frustrating'

Brooklyn Nets star James Harden expressed frustration with the NBA's health and safety protocols after a 123-117 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Friday was overshadowed by the league pulling Kevin Durant from the game.   

Durant was initially held out of the Nets' starting lineup but was cleared by Brooklyn and played 19 minutes before the NBA decided to remove him for the remainder of the contest. 

A close contact of Durant tested positive for the coronavirus, leading the league to remove Durant from play "out of an abundance of caution" despite the Brooklyn star having tested negative multiple times in recent days. 

Nets head coach Steve Nash admitted the sideline fiasco had him "distracted" while Harden called the situation "overwhelming" and "frustrating."

According to the NBA, Durant was initially being held out of the contest while a close contact, who registered an inconclusive test, was being reviewed. The league does not require a player to enter quarantine until a positive result is confirmed. Once that was the case for Durant's close contact, the NBA removed him from the sideline. 

"It's tough to lose KD twice in one night," Nash said during a sideline interview on ESPN. "It wasn’t easy, but we’ve got to be adaptable. This is the type of season it’s going to be. We have a lot going on in our world." 

Nets forward Joe Harris called it "bizarre" while adding the process didn't make any sense while Durant himself began tweeting his disappointment from the locker room while the game was wrapping up. 

All of it leaves both the Nets and Raptors—who are currently scheduled to play in eight cities over the next two weeks—scrambling for clarity. 

In the meantime, the Nets don't know how long Durant may be out of action as Brooklyn travels to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday evening.