MAY 28: Durant will travel to Toronto with the Warriors, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. That means the club isn’t yet ready to rule him out for Game 2 on Sunday.
MAY 27: Addressing the media today, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr confirmed that, as expected, Kevin Durant won’t be available for Game 1 of the NBA Finals (Twitter link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). Golden State’s other injured starter, DeMarcus Cousins, is being listed as questionable for Game 1, according to Kerr.
Neither of these updates comes as a major surprise, since last week’s check-ins on Durant (calf) and Cousins (quad) indicated that KD was unlikely to be ready for the start of the Finals, while Cousins was closer to returning.
Having already been officially ruled out for Game 1, Durant also appears unlikely to be back for Game 2. As Nick Friedell of ESPN.com tweets, Kerr said today that the Warriors still haven’t made a final decision on whether Durant – who has yet to be cleared for any on-court work with his teammates – will travel to Toronto. Game 3 will take place next Wednesday, June 5, in Golden State.
Even without Durant and Cousins, the Warriors are heavy favorites over the Raptors in the 2019 Finals. Golden State has won five games in a row – one vs. Houston and four over the Trail Blazers – without either player available.
Durant was ruled out of the playoffs the sec that injury happened….no one is buying this game by game b.s. the warriors are doing.
Agreed. Wouldn’t be surprised if he hurt his Achilles than his calf.
They were dominant before he got there. They will be fine.
This narrarive is wrong and will be proved wrong. Pre KD they were pushed hard in playoff series vs Memphis and OKC. It took them 6 games to beat a Love/Kyrie less Cavs. Lost the other finals trip. If KD is out the whole series Toronto has a legit chance at winning the ship
Yeah I don’t understand why people think it won’t be a competitive series – the Raptors have home court and KD is injured. It should be a good Finals.
Have you seen Toronto try to score? This will be a short series.
Raptors in 6 or 7. Warriors haven’t played a team that’s both top 5 in offense and defense in this postseason. Plus i just don’t trust Steph curry. Any type of adversity best believe the warriors will crumble if they have to rely on Steph.
Yeah they’ve totally been crumbling.. get real dork. Have that same energy in a week or so!
Before the playoffs, and right before the OG Anunoby appendectomy, I had GS in 7 over Toronto in the Finals. As you said, its tougher to figure out in this series b/c of the injuries. I could see Toronto having a legit chance to win this in 6, as you said, depending on when Durant plays, and if GS gets hot with their shooting. If they shoot the lights out, I’m not sure it matters. That would be tough to do against a defensive team like Toronto though
i mean, not to say curry is the greatest of all time but at what point will you trust curry? the guy has won 2 mvps and been to the finals 5 straight times. if he was going up against an elite defender id agree with you but unless kawhi is gonna guard curry, he should have a field day on lowry, danny green, vanfleet or whichever guard they put on him. lowry isnt exactly mr trustworthy in the playoffs either. toronto might win in 6 or 7 but it wont be because curry doesnt get his. my guess is it will be because warriors wont have an answer for gasol
If curry leads this warriors team to a championship. I will never bad mouth him ever again.
Agreed. He’s got a chance to validate himself
How generous of @lucky: It only takes 5 NBA titles to dispel his ‘crumbly’ label.
Lowry is actually a very good defender, not that I agree with him about Steph Curry
Definitely has to be related to free agency, doesn’t want to risk making it worse and ending up like Cousins
LOL they’re seriously embarrassing. Nothing to do with DMC but he’s probably on the wrong team