After Kevin Durant suffered a scary calf injury in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Houston Rockets, it appeared he would be out for the season and perhaps be sidelined for even longer. However, an MRI revealed a calf strain and though Durant has now been out of action for over three weeks, he could be nearing a return.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, Durant is expected to be able to return for the NBA Finals, likely by either Game 3 or Game 4.
Barring a setback, Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant is expected to return from a right calf strain at some point midway through the NBA Finals, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
There’s some optimism within members of the organization that a Game 3 arrival could be viable, but there’s a stronger possibility that Game 4 is the most logical option, sources said.
Head coach Steve Kerr announced Wednesday that Durant was cleared to take part in individual on-court basketball activities, but the 10-time All-Star — who has missed the past six postseason games — actually began his on-court basketball workouts earlier this week, sources said.
For the Warriors, this is obviously welcome news especially considering their disappointing performance in Game 1. Though they swept the Blazers in the Western Conference Finals leading some to question the value Durant truly adds, KD is a player the Warriors will need if they hope to overcome the Raptors’ length and defensive prowess.
This was evident right away in Game 1, as without Durant’s scoring serving as an offensive security blanket, they struggled for stretches against capable Raptor defenders. The likes of Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol make scoring on the interior difficult but Durant should be able to help take the pressure off Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to carry the load offensively.
Durant was on a tear prior to getting hurt, pacing the entire NBA in playoff scoring with 34.2 points per game on over 51% shooting from the field. If Durant does indeed come back midway through the NBA Finals, this could change everything and sway the momentum entirely back towards Golden State as they continue on their trek for a three-peat.
