The shadow of Kevin Durant shall loom large when his former team Golden State takes on the Phoenix Suns at the Chase Center tonight.
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It seems like an eternity ago when Kevin Durant last played in Oklahoma City. The Slim Reaper was universally loved at that time, but he was also still seeking a first championship.
KD broke the NBA world with his move to Golden State as a free agent in 2016. He rode through a torrential barrage of hatred from all factions of fans. Many believed that he’d single-handedly made the NBA uninteresting by loading up with the Warriors.
After 3 seasons of making the Finals in the Bay Area, KD moved to the Brooklyn Nets to team up with former Finals opponent Kyrie Irving. His time in Brooklyn will forever be looked at as a disappointment given the lack of playoff success.
Now that he’s made his way to Phoenix, he’s changed the complexion of the NBA for a third time. It seems clear that the Valley team is now a legitimate title contender with him on board.
Devin Booker & Kevin Durant as teammates so far:
– Book
36.0 PPG, 7.7 APG, 5.3 RPG, 56% FG, 50% 3P– KD
26.7 PPG, 3.7 APG, 7.3 RPG, 69% FG, 53% 3PSuns 3-0. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Y39G4frx6w
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 6, 2023
Also Read – Why Kevin Durant Used His Mother, Wanda Durant’s Last Name Over His Father’s?
Is Kevin Durant playing tonight at Golden State?
The Phoenix Suns travel north to face their division rivals as both teams look to improve their standings. Kevin Durant will, however, be out of the contest.
The 6’11” forward suffered a grade 2 ankle sprain while going through pre-game shooting drills last Wednesday. It was slated to be his home debut, but he had to sit it out after the injury scare.
Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant is expected to be re-evaluated in two weeks with his left ankle sprain and return based on rehab progress, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Swelling has gone down in the ankle, which Durant injured slipping in pregame warmups Wednesday.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 9, 2023
Also Read – When Is Kevin Durant Coming Back From Injury? Grade 2 Ankle Sprain Recovery Time
The injury did not look serious on the first watch, given that Durant carried on his shooting drill after getting up. In fact, Suns insider Duane Rankin reports that Durant would’ve played through injury if the playoffs were on today.
However, given his injury history over the past 7 seasons, the Suns’ organization is treading lightly around KD. They’ll need to ensure a healthy roster for the playoffs, for he represents their best chance at a title.
KD’s stats this season
KD was in the midst of an all-time great mid-range shooting season when he went down with an MCL strain in January. He picked up where he left off when he got back with the Suns, only to have to sit out with injuries once again.
Durant is currently averaging 29.5 points per game on a career-high 56.6% field goal percentage. He’s adding 6.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game on top of some exemplary defensive play.
