NBA: Kevin Durant Injury Brings Major Fear for Suns, Fans
Due to an injury sustained during a pregame workout, Kevin Durant, who has only appeared in three games for the Phoenix Suns, was forced to withdraw from Wednesday's NBA game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It has been reported that the Suns are worried that Durant will miss the rest of the regular season and the beginning of the playoffs because of a Grade 2 ankle sprain.
An MRI scheduled for Thursday will determine the extent of Kevin Durant's injury.
Early in the season, Durant suffered a knee (MCL) ailment that kept him out for 20 games. Some of those games occurred after he was moved to the Suns.
Durant's health is a significant factor that could prevent him from helping his team. Phoenix's championship prospects are at risk if he is out for a lengthy period, which could include the beginning of the postseason.
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Kevin Durant and Phoenix Suns
Kevin Durant was acquired by the Phoenix Suns in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in early February, just before the NBA trade deadline. He played his first game for the Suns against the Charlotte Hornets on the road on March 1.
The Suns went on to win on the road against the Chicago Bulls and the Dallas Mavericks.
Phoenix fans are more optimistic about their team's chances of winning the championship now that Durant and fellow NBA All-Star Devin Booker are both on the court.
He was supposed to play his first home game with his new team when the Suns played the Thunder on Wednesday, but he and Suns fans will have to wait for at least one more game and cross their fingers that Kevin Durant's injury is not too bad. If it isn't, he can play on Saturday when the Suns host the Sacramento Kings.
Phoenix Suns' Standing
The NBA Western Conference playoff race is tight, but Phoenix is the fourth seed. The team is three games ahead of the fifth-seed Warriors, the sixth-seed Los Angeles Clippers, and two games behind the second-seed Sacramento Kings and third-seed Memphis Grizzlies.
Three and a half games behind the Suns are the seventh-seed Minnesota Timberwolves and the eighth-seed Dallas Mavericks.
If they fall to 7th or 8th, the Suns will have to play a play-in game on April 11 to keep their playoff hopes alive, per NBC Sports.
Assuming they maintain a top-six seed, their first playoff game would be Saturday, April 15, or Sunday, April 16.
Meanwhile, the Suns pulled out a 132-101 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder at Footprint Center.
When Kevin Durant was hurt before his highly anticipated debut, fans were stunned and disappointed.
But Booker re-energized the Suns' ardent fan base with another record accomplishment when the team celebrated its 58th consecutive sellout.
By scoring 44 points on 17-of-23 shooting, including 6-of-10 from 3-point range, adding four assists and three rebounds against the Thunder, he became the first player in team history to record four consecutive games with at least 35 points.
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Written by: Bert Hoover
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