The Phoenix Suns are reportedly concerned All-Star forward Kevin Durant suffered an ankle injury on Thursday night that might sideline him for the remainder of the regular season.
Durant, acquired at the NBA trade deadline, was poised to make his Pheonix debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Just an hour before tip-off, the two-time NBA Finals MVP slipped while going to the basket for a shot during warmups.
Related: NBA playoffs race
While Durant managed to finish his workout, he later returned to the locker room with swelling in the ankle. Pheonix quickly ruled him out before the game, with coach Monty Williams weighing in after the Suns’ 132-101 victory.
“I feel bad for him because he feels bad. I saw his face and — I’ve been around him so many times — I know what he’s feeling, and I don’t want him feeling that way at all.”
Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams on Kevin Durant’s injury (H/T ESPN)
Durant is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Thursday, with the franchise hoping tests determine it isn’t a significant injury. However, there is reportedly concern within the organization that he suffered a significant ankle sprain.
According to Greg Moore of AZCentral.com, there is concern within the franchise that Durant suffered a Grade 2 sprain. If that’s the case, he would likely need to miss between four to six weeks before rejoining the lineup.
In Durant’s absence, All-Star guard Devin Booker led the way with a team-high 44 points in just 28 minutes. Chris Paul also took on a larger scoring role (18 points), while Terrence Ross played 23 minutes off the bench and scored 24 points.
Booker will be thrust back into the featured role for as long as Durant is sidelined. In his last nine games, Booker is averaging 30.3 points and hitting 53.1% of his shots from the field including 38.6% from beyond the arc.
Phoenix, currently the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, is two games behind the Sacramento Kings for first place in the Pacific Division. With 16 regular-season games remaining, any extended absence for Durant would put the Suns in jeopardy of not having the home-court advantage for a deep playoff run.
Go to Source
Author: Matt Johnson