Suns star Kevin Durant will be reevaluated in two weeks after straining his left calf in Friday’s game, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
As Charania points out, Durant has been playing at an MVP level as Phoenix is tied for the top spot in the West with an 8-1 record. Through nine games, he’s averaging 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 55.3% from the field and 43% from three-point range.
After several years of persistent injuries, Durant managed to play 75 games last season, which was his highest total since 2018/19. At age 36, he has seemed as healthy and productive as he’s been at any point during his 18-year NBA career.
Durant also suffered a calf strain while training for the Summer Olympics. He missed Team USA’s entire exhibition schedule, but was available once the games in France began.
Devin Booker and Bradley Beal will be counted on to carry more of the Suns’ scoring load while Durant is sidelined.
Booker is off to a rough start, shooting just 42.9% from the field and 32.4% from three-point range in nine games while averaging 23.1 PPG, his lowest figure in eight years. In seven games, Beal is scoring 15.4 PPG, his lowest mark in a decade, while shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.2% from beyond the arc.
Phoenix has seven games over the next two weeks, including a four-game road trip that starts Tuesday. Based on the timeline reported by Charania, the earliest Durant could return is November 26 for an in-season tournament matchup with the Lakers.
Suns season really starts now.
You could be better all time than LeBron but you choose not to be
These calf injuries been haunting KD since he tore his achilles, I wonder if there is any correlation.
I like the way Beal has played, he has been efficient while having a lesser role, which is what was asked of him. With KD out now, I wonder if he is going to have shades of Wizards Beal.
Between 2018-2021 Beal was pretty amazing.
Suns are frightening this year…frighting their fan base lol
Deja Vu. The article doesn’t mention that a calf strain preceded Durant’s achilles tear in the 2019 Championship vs. Toronto.
The achilles injury was attributed to returning prematurely from the calf strain suffered 3 weeks earlier against the Rockets. Warriors front office and doctors were blamed, although Durant himself took responsibility for the decision.
They’ll be careful with this one. No wa he’s back in 2 weeks.
Them frail nonexistent calves failing him again lol.