Kevin Durant has questioned New York’s Covid-19 rules which allowed unvaccinated Brooklyn Nets team-mate Kyrie Irving to attend the 110-107 victory over the New York Knicks.
Durant said the situation was “ridiculous” after scoring a season-high 53 points with Irving courtside at the Barclays Center.
Fans no longer need to show proof of vaccinations to attend indoor venues, but businesses still require workers to be vaccinated.
Irving refused to be vaccinated and was kept out of the Nets set-up until December, when they let him return to action.
He has not been able play in home games because rules in New York require players to be vaccinated, and has missed away games in states with similar rules.
Sunday’s match was the first home game he has attended this season.
“It’s ridiculous. I don’t understand it at all,” said Durant, who called on New York City Mayor Eric Adams to “figure out” a solution.
“There’s unvaxxed people in this building already. We got a guy who can come into the building – I guess, are they fearing for our safety?
“Pretty much everybody in the world is confused at this point.”
Los Angeles Lakers legend LeBron James tweeted that Irving being able to attend the match but not play made “absolutely zero sense”.
James became the first player to record 10,000 assists, rebounds and points in the NBA as he scored 31 points and made seven rebounds and six assists in a 140-111 defeat by the Phoenix Suns.
Devin Booker scored 30 points for the Suns as the Lakers slipped to their seventh loss in nine games.
The LA Clippers beat the Detroit Pistons 106-102, the Boston Celtics lost 92-95 to the Dallas Mavericks, the Philadelphia 76ers recorded a 116-114 overtime win against the Orlando Magic and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers 131-128.
The New Orleans Pelicans beat the Houston Rockets by 130-105 and the Memphis Grizzlies won 125-118 at the Oklahoma City Thunder.
