Durant’s progress provides optimism
He won’t play tonight, but his return is imminent
OAKLAND >> With each jumper that he took and each shot he swatted away, Kevin Durant offered more encouraging signs about an imminent return. But it won’t be tonight.
Late Monday night the Warriors changed Durant‘s status from doubtful to out for their game against the Indiana Pacers (43-31) at
Oracle Arena. Durant has missed the past five games with a rib injury. In what marked his first contact session since his injury two weeks ago against the
Los Angeles Lakers, Durant appeared ready at Monday’s practice to fulfill his usual role soon.
You know, the role that involves Durant averaging a lot of points (26.6), shooting efficiently (52 percent), facilitating (5.4 assists), cleaning the glass (6.8 rebounds) and shutting down opponents (1.9 blocks).
That basically explains coach Steve Kerr’s optimism about his team despite Stephen Curry staying sidelined at least for the next three weeks with an Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee. Durant might have noted this month that “Steph is the system here.” Yet, the Warriors’ coach senses his other All-Stars in Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson can make that system work just fine.
“We’re perfectly capable of beating anybody. Regular season, playoffs, we can beat anybody in the league without Steph,” Kerr said. “Our guys know that. It’s going to be hard to beat anybody in the league without Steph, KD, Klay and Draymond. I’m going to have coach a lot better for that to happen. But we’re very confident we’re going to get the other three guys back here soon.”
The Warriors will not have to wait too long.
Though the Warriors had to back off on their hope he’d be ready today, Kerr offered assurances that Durant will at least play on Thursday against Milwaukee.
The same goes for Green, who is listed as probable for tonight after practicing on Monday following a two-game absence stemmed from a pelvic contusion and then the flu. Thompson might return sometime later this week or early next week after spending part of Monday’s practice shooting with his right hand for the first time since fracturing his right thumb on March 11 in Minnesota.
Durant’s return arguably will make the biggest impact, though, because of how he has played this season both with and without Curry in the lineup. Durant did not speak to reporters on Monday, so the Warriors did for him .
“He’s always been a leader vocally,” said guard Quinn Cook, who grew up in the Washington D.C. area with Durant.
When Curry missed 11 games after spraining his right ankle on Dec. 4 in New Orleans, Durant averaged 28.8 points while shooting 46.5 percent
from the field. Five games he posted at least 30 points. He had one tripledouble and three double-doubles.
“A guy like that of his caliber and skillset and the way he plays the game and his energy, we wants to match his,” Patrick McCaw said. “He always steps up no matter if Steph is out there. No matter who is on the floor, he’s always playing at the same level as a leader and as a basketball player.”
It has differed, though, on to what degree Durant becomes either a highvolume shooter or playmaker.
Durant is averaging 18 shots per game this season, but he exceeded that shot total in nine of the 11 games during Curry’s initial absence. He only finished in the high 20-shot range in two games, though. Durant also posted 40 points despite shooting only 18 field goals on Jan. 10 against the Clippers because of his efficiency from 3-point range (6-of-7) and the free-throw line (6-of-8).
When Curry missed six games this month with another right ankle injury, Durant averaged 35 points on 45.3 percent shooting, 7.3 rebounds and 4.66 assists in the first three games before sitting out with his own rib injury. His lone high-volume shooting night: an 11-of-32 performance in a loss in Minnesota, the same game when Thompson became limited with his thumb injury.
With all of those games taken into account, it appears Durant has attempted to strike a balance between scoring and playmaking depending on both matchups and team dynamics.
“He does a great job of it,” McCaw said. “When it’s him, he’s usually getting doubled after he makes a few shots. He’s a very smart basketball player and has a very high IQ. He normally knows when to make the right play. Guys are going to get shots no matter what. He has great passing ability and can score. He’s going to draw a defense. So guys are going to get open looks.”
Those open looks became much easier with Curry also on the floor. Nonetheless, Kerr insisted he and the Warriors’ training staff are “not going to bring him back until he’s ready,” despite Curry’s hopes to prove Kerr wrong and return at some point in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
“We got to protect him from himself and make sure he’s good and healthy and go through the whole process of rehab and court work,” Kerr said. “Steph is going to want to come back because that’s who he is. But when he’s ready, he’s ready.”
• The Warriors listed Quinn Cook (left knee contusion) as probable, while Omri Casspi (sprained right ankle) and Chris Boucher (sprained left ankle) are considered doubtful.