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Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant will not play in Thursday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. But he has started to do individual basketball drills, which is an important step in his rehab.
He isn’t practicing yet, but getting back on the court in any capacity is a critical development.
Steve Kerr said Kevin Durant will begin individual work, but has to get a full practice before playing
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) May 29, 2019
Given this news, it seems very unlikely that Durant will be ready to go in time for Sunday’s Game 2. However, if he has already progressed to individual work, it’s very conceivable that Durant will play in Game 3, which would be Wednesday evening at Oracle Arena.
Durant has missed five games since injuring his calf on May 8 in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Warriors have gone 5-0 in his absence, but could sorely miss him when matched up against the Raptors.
A two-time Finals MVP, Durant is averaging a league-best 34.2 points per game in these playoffs, to go along with 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.