Kevin Durant’s MRI on Thursday provided both good and bad news. The good news is Durant’s right calf strain is considered mild, and will be reevaluated in just a week’s time. The bad news is that means Durant will miss the remainder of the Warriors’ series with the Rockets, whether or not it goes six or seven games.
Kevin Durant injury update: pic.twitter.com/M4oQBpLPyq
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) May 9, 2019
As we’ve detailed previously, Durant has had a version of this injury twice over the past two seasons, both times missing exactly seven days. Should the Warriors advance, that same timetable would see him return right around Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. The NBA Finals are scheduled to start three weeks from today.
Amidst a Rockets comeback in the third quarter of Game 5, Durant left the game and limped to the Warriors locker room. The play in question happened after Durant hit a mid-range jumper over Iman Shumpert. Durant appeared to land slightly on Shumpert’s foot, but didn’t appear to be in any initial discomfort. As he began his run back to the other end of the court, Durant pulled up lame, and was seemingly unable to move his right foot as he hobbled off the court.
Kevin Durant has headed into the #Warriors locker room after this non-contact injury: pic.twitter.com/O4EeyUk2bI
— KNBR (@KNBR) May 9, 2019
Game 6 is Friday evening in Houston.