Warriors beat: Durant goes through 5-on-5 scrimmage.
Kevin Durant on Saturday completed his most taxing workout since sustaining his left knee injury Feb. 28, making the Warriors more optimistic that he’ll return before the end of the regular season.
Durant went through a light practice. After reporters arrived, a curtain was lowered so media couldn’t see him continue to test his knee in a 5-on-5 scrimmage against teammates on an adjacent court.
“We didn’t do much,” head coach Steve Kerr said of the initial practice. “Walk-through for tomorrow because we don’t have a shootaround. Then about 20-25 minutes of station work for some offensive execution. But it was not exactly strenuous.”
Durant, who has missed 16 games with a sprained medial collateral ligament and tibial bone bruise to his left knee, will be re-evaluated by team trainers in 4-7 days. Wednesday, he played one-on-one with assistant coach Willie Green.
The hope remains that Durant will be available by Golden State’s regular-season finale April 12 against the Lakers. Whenever he does return, he will be on a minutes restriction for his first few games.
The Warriors are 12-4 since Durant’s injury, including a current 10-game winning streak. They face the Wizards at Oracle Arena at 5 p.m. Sunday. Jones progressing: Rookie center Damian Jones is making significant strides with Golden State’s Development League affiliate in Santa Cruz. After topping the 13-point mark only once in his first 20 games with Santa Cruz, Jones has averaged 18.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks over his past 11.
“We’ve been really happy with his progress,” said Santa Cruz head coach Casey Hill. “He’s been great.” Injury updates: Rookie guard Patrick McCaw, who missed Friday’s win over the Rockets with leg cramps, was at practice Saturday and is expected to start Sunday against Washington. … Forward Kevon Looney (left hip strain) has been ruled out for Sunday.