The Nets were on their way to setting the cruise control Saturday night when a feel-good game turned worrisome.

Kevin Durant, who is in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, left the game against the Pelicans at Barclays Center midway through the second quarter with a sprained left knee and did not return. He was later ruled out as the Nets went on to beat New Orleans 120-105, but the blowout win was spoiled by Durant’s early exit and the concern that followed.

Coach Steve Nash did not have an update on Durant after the game, other than to reveal he will undergo an MRI exam on Sunday morning.

“Of course it would be tough to lose him,” Nash said. “No one wants to see that. We’ll obviously hope for the best outcome, but regardless of the outcome, we have to continue to work, build and grow and get better and compete.”

With 5:38 left in the first half, Bruce Brown fell awkwardly into Durant’s left knee, appearing to hyperextend it, on a defensive play. Durant hobbled around on the court before taking himself out of the game and heading straight to the Nets locker room.

The Nets (27-15) were up by 25 points over the Pelicans (16-27) at the time, and Durant had scored 12 points in the first quarter alone. He had just reentered the game when he got hurt, putting a damper on the Nets’ strong start.

“It’s difficult to see one of our leaders take an injury like that,” James Harden said. “So hopefully, it’s not too bad. Hopefully, he’s able to be on the court on Monday.”

Durant, who rested for Thursday’s game due to his heavy workload this season, entered Saturday leading the NBA averaging 29.7 points, to go with 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 37.2 minutes per game. He was playing like the best version of himself, showing no ill effects of the ruptured Achilles that cost him the entire 2019-2020 season.

The Nets have played just two games this season with their full Big 3 intact — most of that because the unvaccinated Kyrie Irving has been sidelined by New York City COVID-19 mandates and the team only recently allowed him to be a part-time player, in road games only. But after Saturday, the Nets will spend their next four games, and nine of their next 11, on the road, meaning Irving could play alongside Durant and Harden. That looked as if it would be their best chance to establish some much-needed continuity in a season bereft of it.

Instead, the Nets are left holding their breaths for the result of Durant’s MRI.

In Durant’s absence, Harden led the way Saturday night with 27 points, 15 assists and eight rebounds. The rookie trio of Cam Thomas (20 points), Day’Ron Sharpe (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Kessler Edwards (16) also had another strong game, while Patty Mills chipped in 21 points.

Before Durant’s exit, the Nets had gotten off to the start that Nash had hoped for before the game as they looked to establish a better presence at home. They entered Saturday having lost six of their last nine games, a stretch that included a 1-5 record in Brooklyn.

Durant led the way in the first quarter, scoring his 12 points in the first 12 minutes alone as the Nets charged out to a 32-22 lead. It marked only the fourth time this season that the Nets held a double-digit lead after one quarter.

They offered no let-up early in the second quarter, opening with an 11-0 run to take command of the game — behind a lineup of Harden, DeAndre’ Bembry, Thomas, Edwards and Sharpe.

The Nets had just taken a 52-27 lead when Durant came back into the game, though he soon was done for the night.