Kevin Durant‘s condition is being scrutinized on a minute-by-minute basis and understandably so. No one person in the NBA Finals wields quite as much influence over the outcome of the series, as the “Easy Money Sniper.” Without Kevin Durant in the lineup in the last four contests, the Golden State Warriors have managed only one victory, and by all accounts, it was a game the Raptors let slip away due to poor shooting.
The last meaningful update concerning Durant’s right calf strain was issued after Game 3 when coach Steve Kerr informed the media that KD was “nudging closer to a return” with no particular date in mind. At this juncture, Durant had yet to participate in the 3-on-3, 5-on-5 full-contact scrimmages, conceived in part to test his durability.
Fast-forward to Sunday afternoon. It’s being reported that Kevin Durant has finally participated in the aforementioned scrimmages, leading Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr to declare that he is “more hopeful he may play” perhaps as soon as Game 5 on Monday. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Durant’s absence is a cause for disruption within the Warriors’ locker room. The writer chose the word “angst” to elucidate the brittle confidence around the time going into a decisive Game 5.
