Warriors’ Durant out for at least four weeks
THE Golden State Warriors on Wednesday were coping with a new reality that looked a lot like their old reality – life without Kevin Durant.
Durant, who joined the Warriors last summer in one of the splashiest free-agent moves this side of LeBron James, injured his left knee in a loss to Washington on Tuesday night and could miss the rest of the regular season.
T h e t e a m a n n o u n c e d Wednesday morning that Durant (pictured, AFP) had sprained his medial collateral ligament and had suffered a tibial bone bruise and would be re-evaluated in four weeks.
While the Warriors did not offer a specific timetable for his return, they said that he could be back before the end of the regular season. The playoffs start weeks.
“Every team deals with injuries,” general manager Bob Myers told reporters on a conference call. “As we move forward, from today on and through the playoffs, I hope we stay healthy.
“In the event that we don’t, we will explore the best options that give us the best chance to win.”
The Warriors (50-10) have the NBA’s best record – and nothing about Durant’s injury imperils their championship hopes, or even their status as favourites.
The Warriors have clinched a playoff berth and entered Wednesday leading San Antonio by four games for homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs. But Durant’s injury complicates things. in about six
Durant, 28, was having one of the best, most efficient seasons of his career, averaging 25.3 points, , 8.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game.
With defenders enders having to pay attention on to the other All-Stars the he Warriors deploy, like ke Stephen C u r r y a n d K l a y Thompson,n, Durant was feasting g on open l o o k s f r o m t h e p e r i me t e r a n d shooting a careerbest 53.7 percent ercent from the field. eld.
The Warriorsrriors ought to haveave enough scororing to commpensate f or D u r a n t ’ s a b s e n c e , h o w e v e r long it lasts. The larger issue is their defence. Durant had emerged as the team team’s s most effectiveef rim protector, averagingav a career-best 1.61 blocks a game. The Warriors h a v e t h e lea league’s seco n d - b e s t d e f e n c e , a n d D u r a n t ’ s valueval is difficult tot overstate. The goodg news for the Warriors is that they still have Draymond Green,G perhaps the best all-around defender in the NBA.NB But Durant is s still a huge loss, and his injury also highlights the absence of Andrew Bogut, the team’s primary rim protector in past seasons, who was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in the offseason to clear space for Durant.
Bogut, recently acquired by Philadelphia and then waived, plans to sign with the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers this week, according to multiple reports.
The rookie Patrick McCaw could replace Durant in the Warriors’ starting line-up. The Warriors were also close to signing the veteran Matt Barnes as a stop-gap, according to multiple reports.
Durant does not have a history of knee problems. But he missed most of the 2014-15 season with the Oklahoma City Thunder after three surgical procedures on his right foot.