As Game 2 of the Golden State Warriors’ first-round series with the Portland Trail Blazers nears (10:30 p.m. ET, TNT), the status of star forward Kevin Durant remains questionable.
Durant, who missed Golden State’s practice Tuesday because of a strained left calf, sat out Wednesday’s shootaround:
With nine hours until tipoff between Warriors-Blazers, I'm told Kevin Durant's 'questionable' status (calf) is probably closer to doubtful.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) April 19, 2017
Kevin Durant (left calf strain) did not participate in shootaround and is still listed questionable for tonight's Game 2 vs. Trail Blazers.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) April 19, 2017
No Kevin Durant when shootaround opens. Blinds to back are down. Sounds like he won't talk. Seems more and more unlikely for Game 2. pic.twitter.com/g2yQP1lIQk
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 19, 2017
Kevin Durant unlikely for Game 2 tonight with calf injury, not yet officially ruled out by Warriors. Full update https://t.co/5tcs242KQF
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 19, 2017
If the Warriors indeed elect to hold Durant out of Game 2, his strained left calf will have benefited from five full off days before Game 3
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 19, 2017
Both he and backup guard Shaun Livingston (sprained right index finger, bruised hand) remain questionable for Game 2.
Shaun Livingston (right index finger sprain, hand contusion) remains questionable for Game 2 against Trail Blazers.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) April 19, 2017
The Warriors, who won Game 1 on Sunday, also had forward Matt Barnes is questionable with a sprained right ankle and foot on Tuesday. The Blazers are not without a key injury, too, as center Jusuf Nurkic is out for Game 2 as he recovers from a nondisplaced fracture in his right leg that sidelined him the final seven regular-season games.
Coach Steve Kerr said Durant’s injury happened in the game, when he had 32 points and 10 rebounds in his playoff debut with the Warriors. Durant received treatment Tuesday after the team took Monday off from formal workouts.
Kerr didn’t hear about the injury until after the 121-109 win. He expects Durant to return sometime during the best-of-seven first-round series, if not Wednesday against the Trail Blazers.
“I’m not sure if he felt it at the end of the game or if he felt it after,” Kerr said. “That’s totally the expectation but you’ve got to be careful with this stuff, too. So we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”
Durant recently missed 19 games with a left knee injury before returning for the final three regular-season games.
When asked after the game about an athletic trainer checking him in the third quarter and whether anything was wrong, Durant said, “No, I’m cool.”
Livingston jammed his hand diving on the floor, Kerr said. Barnes did more work in practice Tuesday, and “he probably needs a little more work but there’s a chance he could play,” the coach said.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
