Raptors vs. Nets Monday NBA injury report, spread, odds: No Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant or Ben Simmons, but Irving (COVID mandate) could play home games soon

While the Brooklyn Nets will not have Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant or Ben Simmons for Monday's home game vs. the Toronto Raptors, the team's NBA title hopes got a huge boost Sunday when New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that the city's indoor COVID vaccine passport policy would March 7 provided there is no spike in the next week, although it's still not 100 percent clear when Irving would be able to play at home. The Nets are +3.5 tonight at Caesars Sportsbook. Click here for model picks. 

Shams Charania is reporting that even when Adams lifts it, the private sector mandate still restricts Irving from playing in home games, although he could enter Barclays Center as a spectator. Here's what Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting: "Irving remains restricted from playing under NYC mandate for large employers, but March 7 loosening of Key2NYC mandate is another step in what's expected to be an inevitability Irving will be cleared to play this season."

Irving had his best game of the season Saturday with 38 points in leading the Nets to a big upset win at Milwaukee. There was some hope that Durant would return from his left MCL sprain on Monday but that will not be the case. Probably not Tuesday in Toronto, either (Irving can't play in that one due to Canadian mandate rules). Simmons is still trying to get into game shape after missing the entire season before the big trade from Philadelphia.

Even though Brooklyn sits eighth in the East at 32-29 and might be looking at the play-in tournament, the Nets remain +300 favorites at Caesars Sportsbook to win the East and +600 third favorites for the NBA title.

Toronto could be without All-Star point guard Fred VanVleet (21.4 ppg, 6.9 apg) on Monday as he's dealing with right knee soreness. FVV has been playing through it but clearly is bothered as he's just 11-for-34 from the field in the past two games, both Raptors losses by a combined 59 points. Fellow starter OG Anunoby (17.5 ppg) hasn't played since the All-Star break due to a finger injury and will see a specialist on Monday and thus is out again.

Brooklyn is 2-0 vs. Toronto this season but had Durant for both and he averaged 32.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists in them. VanVleet is averaging a team-high 26.0 points in the two for Toronto. Dating to last season, the Nets have won three straight against the Raptors and have won four in a row in the series just once prior: The 2002-03 season.

The Nets are 9-0 this season when holding their opponents under 100 points, and if the Raptors don't have VanVleet in addition to Anunoby, they might struggle to reach 100. 

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