Kevin Durant Sidelined Indefinitely With Hamstring Strain
Kevin Durant Sidelined Indefinitely With Hamstring Strain...
Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant will miss at least two weeks with a left hamstring strain, the team announced Friday. The injury occurred during Thursday night's 112-108 loss to the Denver Nuggets when Durant grabbed at his leg after driving to the basket in the third quarter.
The timing couldn't be worse for the Suns, who are fighting for playoff positioning with just five games remaining in the regular season. Phoenix currently sits sixth in the Western Conference at 46-31, one game behind New Orleans for the fifth seed.
Durant is averaging 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists this season while shooting a career-best 52.3% from three-point range. The 13-time All-Star had played in 24 consecutive games before the injury, his longest stretch since joining Phoenix in February 2023.
Team doctors confirmed the strain through imaging Friday morning. "We'll evaluate him week-to-week," Suns head coach Frank Vogel told reporters. "These things are tricky with a player of Kevin's caliber. We won't rush him back."
The injury sparked immediate reactions across the NBA world. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins tweeted: "Prayers up for KD. The league needs him healthy for the playoffs." The Suns' next game is Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are battling Phoenix for playoff seeding.
Phoenix faces a brutal closing schedule with games against the Clippers, Timberwolves and Kings after the Thunder matchup. The team went 5-6 in games Durant missed earlier this season. Devin Booker and Bradley Beal will need to carry more offensive load in Durant's absence.
Sportsbooks quickly adjusted championship odds, with the Suns dropping from +750 to +1100 at DraftKings. Denver (+350) and Boston (+260) remain the favorites. Durant's injury could significantly impact the Western Conference playoff picture with just 10 days remaining in the regular season.
This marks Durant's third hamstring-related injury since 2021. He missed 23 games with the Nets in 2020-21 due to a similar issue. The 35-year-old forward has played 68 games this season, his most since 2018-19 with Golden State.
Suns fans expressed concern on social media, with many noting the team's struggles without Durant earlier this season. Phoenix plays four of its final five games at home, where they're 25-14 this year. The team hopes to have Durant back for the playoffs, which begin April 20.
