Kevin Durant’s MCL injury has Warriors fans anxious about the next six weeks, after the Dubs suffered their first back-to-back losses since 2015 this past week. Ray Woodson touches on the introduction of Matt Barnes to the Warriors, who has returned to the Bay as a temporary fill-in for the newly KD-omitted lineup.
Barnes is no stranger Golden State, as he served on the team from 2006-2008, and was known for his standout three-pointers. In between his Warriors appearances, Barnes played for the Suns, Magic, Lakers, Clippers, Grizzlies, and most recently the Sacramento Kings.
Woodson describes Durant’s injury as “the car crashed, but it’s not totaled.” Without KD’s valuable presence on the court that has majorly influenced the Dubs’ success this season–he currently leads the team in points and rebounds–fellow All-Stars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson will have to step up like they did before Durant joined the rotation.
“It’s going to be about holding down the fort until Durant gets back… will KD be KD when he comes back? Maybe not right away, but just his presence on the court is something that defenses will have to account for.”
Time will tell if the Warriors can earn that first seed going into the Playoffs, with or without Durant’s contributions.
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