Kevin Durant is travelling with the Golden State Warriors to Toronto for the first two games of the NBA Finals, leaving open the chance he could be ready to return from a strained right calf in time for Game 2.
Durant, the two-time reigning Finals MVP who has missed the past five games since getting hurt in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against Houston, has already been ruled out for Game 1 on Thursday night.
As of Monday, he had yet to do any full-speed work on the court as part of a formal practice though he had done some shooting, coach Steve Kerr said.
B次元官网网址淚f he did anything on the court, it would have been pretty light,B次元官网网址� Kerr said.
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Warriors spokesman Raymond Ridder confirmed Durant was on the team plane that took off early afternoon West Coast time. The two-time defending champions held an optional practice Tuesday before travelling.
There will be two full days off before Game 2 on Sunday, giving Durant time to get further on-court work done that the Warriors would need to see before he is medically cleared.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l see where it goes from here,B次元官网网址� Kerr said Monday. B次元官网网址淭his is where the fact that thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of days in between games during the finals helps us, so weB次元官网网址檒l see.B次元官网网址�
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Durant didnB次元官网网址檛 travel to Houston for Game 6 of that round or to Portland for the two road games against the Trail Blazers in the Western Conference finals. He remained in the Bay Area to rehab, and the Warriors are unbeaten without him.
An impending free agent this summer, he was hurt May 8 when he landed awkwardly on his right foot following a baseline jumper late in the third quarter of a 104-99 victory over the Rockets at Oracle Arena. Durant is averaging 34.2 points per game this post-season.
Kerr said Durant has been spending countless hours rehabbing to recover B次元官网网址� hoping to get back soon to what he loves most.
B次元官网网址淵ou get that fear of missing out on stuff, like practices and shootarounds and new game plans and stuff like that. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what I miss the most, obviously, grinding on the court individually and with my team. But thatB次元官网网址檚 out of my hands. Out of my control,B次元官网网址� Durant said Friday.
B次元官网网址淢y task is to try to conquer this, and I think thatB次元官网网址檚 the journey (weB次元官网网址檙e) on as basketball players. So IB次元官网网址檓 pretty much down for anything but IB次元官网网址檓 excited that IB次元官网网址檓 making progress.B次元官网网址�
Centre DeMarcus Cousins, out with a torn left quadriceps muscle he injured in Game 2 of the first round against the Clippers, hadnB次元官网网址檛 been ruled out for Game 1 though Kerr mentioned the magnitude of coming back on the finals stage after so much missed time.
Cousins B次元官网网址� in his first career post-season B次元官网网址� scrimmaged Saturday and again Monday, a sign of progress he is closer to being ready.
B次元官网网址淚 feel better each and every day. ThatB次元官网网址檚 my whole goal, to make sure I get better with each day that comes,B次元官网网址� Cousins said last week. B次元官网网址淗opefully, that opportunity comes, and IB次元官网网址檓 able to get on the floor and help my teammates and try to help them win a championship.B次元官网网址�
Janie McCauley, The Associated Press
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