Kevin Durant Could Return from Thigh Injury for Nets Either Friday or Sunday

Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash said it's "very possible" that star forward Kevin Durant could return to action this weekend, either Friday or Sunday, after being sidelined by a thigh injury recently.

The Nets will host the Boston Celtics on Friday and the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

A hamstring injury sidelined the 32-year-old for 23 games earlier this season. In his fifth game back, he played a little more than four minutes before he was forced to exit. He took an inadvertent knee to the thigh from Miami Heat forward Trevor Ariza.

The Nets labeled it a left thigh contusion.

In his first season back after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon, Durant has again reasserted himself as one of the NBA's best scorers. He's averaging 27.3 points while shooting 54.3 percent from the floor and 46.2 percent from beyond the arc.

The Nets (39-19) have mounted a sustained challenge for the Eastern Conference's top seed despite missing the 11-time All-Star for various spells throughout the year. They currently sit a half-game behind the Philadelphia 76ers (39-18) for first place in the East.

Given their place in the standings, the Nets can afford to take a cautious approach to try to make sure he is healthy for the postseason, as Brooklyn's hopes of winning its first NBA championship will likely hinge on the health and performance of the 2014 MVP.