Kevin Durant injured his left knee during the game against Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. He was out in the first quarter and never returned to the game. Doctors found sprain MCL and bruise in his bone.
Durant injured in the first minute of the game after center Zaza Pachulia fell on him, according to NBA.com. His knee was extended after the collision and subsequently he was carried out to the locker room. He never returned to the game as the Wizards defeated Warriors 112-108.
He underwent further examination at the MedStar Washington Hospital in the DC area. Doctor found his MCL was sprained and a bruise in his tibial bone. He will be re-examined in the next four weeks, but the team expects him to be return in the season.
The 6’9” power forward is the leader in scoring and rebound for the Warriors, averaging 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game since he joined the Warriors this season. His absence will make his team mate to step up and work harder than before as the playoffs is approaching.
The absence of Durant will make playoffs race in the Western Conference become more interesting, according to CBS Sports. Without Durant, the Warriors need to strengthen its front court, and they now will have to depend on Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia to protect the rim. While for the scoring, it will be interesting to see the return of Splash Brothers with their highly accurate shooting from behind the arc.
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are currently averaging 24.9 and 21.9 points per game respectively. Curry made 40.5 percent in his three-pointer, while Thompson with 41.5 percent. There is not much different than last season with 45.4 percent for Curry and 41.5 percent for Thompson.
The return of Splash Brothers will be interesting to watch in the Warriors. While the front court will have additional force as Matt Barnes will join the team in the absence of Durant. Watch discussion in the ESPN’s NBA The Jump regarding the Warriors without Durant below: