LOS ANGELES — Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant will miss Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the visiting Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday due to a right calf strain, ESPN said Monday.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported that the two-time NBA Finals MVP will not be reevaluated until Thursday, leaving his status for Thursday night’s Game 2 up in the air.
Injured during Wednesday’s Game 5 win against Houston, the 30-year-old forward did not travel to Texas for Game 6 on Friday when Golden State finished off the Rockets with a 118-113 victory.
A 10-time All-Star, Durant is averaging a league-high 34.2 points this postseason with 5.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.2 steals in 11 games.
“It’s obviously a huge loss. Our team has a lot of confidence,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said last week after an MRI confirmed the extent of Durant’s injury. “We trust each other. They’ve won championships together. So we come out and give it our best shot.” — Reuters
