NBA Live Thread: Brooklyn Nets vs. Miami Heat, 7:30 PM EST

Yes. Yes. Yes. Kevin Durant is back from injury and he will play on Thursday night as the Nets take on a very, very good Miami Heat team.

Sure, the task seems daunting, but getting Durant back and healthy is a huge win for the Nets. Will he lead them past the Heat?

I mean...

Anyway, the Nets also got some answers - though, not the kind they were looking for - today on the status of Ben Simmons. Don’t expect him to come back any time in the near, near future.

Sigh.

But, hey, Durant is back, baby!

WHO: Brooklyn Nets (32-31) vs. Miami Heat (41-22)

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. EST

WHERE: YES (not TNT), WFAN-AM/FM (radio)

Game Preview.

Miami does a wonderful job of forcing turnovers, so Brooklyn will have to be incredibly sharp when they have possession. The Heat are third in opponent’s turnover rate. On the flip side, they’ve also turned it over the fourth most in the NBA this year. The Heat make a lot of bank in transition so Brooklyn will be able to speed things up and play at the fast pace they like.

The Raptors made a killing from 3-point range in the two game series vs. Brooklyn, and if their defense is lax tonight, the Heat will make them pay for it again. Led by the dynamic duo of Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro, Miami leads the NBA in three point shooting at 37.6 percent. Herro and Robinson fly all over the court so the Nets will have to ensure their communication is top notch so they can reduce the amount of open looks Miami gets.

Seth Curry looking for his shot is a pretty sight. Curry scored 18 points and handed out six assists on Tuesday night and looked good as the lead guard. With Goran Dragic getting more comfortable and acclimated with the team and Cam Thomas’ continued ascent, Curry will have some excellent backcourt partners to work part. Of course, the team’s best backcourt option will be back on Sunday so Brooklyn will have even more to look forward to.

For more on the Heat, check out Hot Hot Hoops.