76ers vs. Nets Thursday NBA injury report, spread, odds: Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge return from COVID, Kyrie Irving not ready to debut

No question that the marquee matchup on Thursday's four-game NBA slate is the Philadelphia 76ers at Brooklyn Nets, a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview – although the Bucks and Bulls may have a say in that. Brooklyn superstar Kevin Durant was cleared from COVID protocols earlier this week and is expected to play, as is teammate LaMarcus Aldridge, but while fellow All-Star Kyrie Irving has been cleared as well, he's not game-ready yet. The Nets are 5-point favorites on the Caesars Sportsbook NBA odds. Click here for model picks. 

Durant leads the NBA in scoring at 29.7 points per game but is now the second-favorite to win league MVP at +250 behind Golden State's Steph Curry (+125) in part because KD hasn't played since Dec. 16. Those two likely will yo-yo as MVP favorites all season and maybe for the scoring title with Curry second at 27.7 ppg. The last game Durant played was a 114-105 home win over these Sixers on Dec. 16. Durant dominated with 34 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.

Also back from protocols on Thursday will be Aldridge. He hasn't played since Dec. 12 and is averaging 14.0 points and 5.7 rebounds.

Irving of course hasn't played yet this season because he won't get vaccinated, which means he can't play in home games or any at the Knicks because of vaccine mandates in New York City. For the first time since training camp in October, Irving practiced with his teammates Wednesday. He is allowed to practice at their Brooklyn training center because it is a private facility.

It likely will take a week or two of conditioning before Irving debuts and it obviously will be on the road – Brooklyn's next road game is Jan. 5 at Indiana and the one after that is Jan. 12 in Chicago.

Perhaps consider an Over prop on Sixers star Joel Embiid in this one as in his past four road games, he's averaging 36.3 points and 10.8 rebounds. Philadelphia is now in pretty good shape protocols-wise and could see the return of reserve guard Shake Milton on Thursday. Milton has completed his quarantine at this point but is working on conditioning.

The Sixers are 0-2 vs. the Nets this season, allowing exactly 114 points in each. Brooklyn has outrebounded Philadelphia 95-73 in the two games with a 29-14 edge in second-chance points. While the teams each scored 170 points combined in the first three quarters of the first two meetings, the Nets hold a 14-point advantage in the fourth.

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