PORTLAND, Ore. – The Warriors are without Kevin Durant and coach Steve Kerr tonight against the Trail Blazers, with the team announcing about 3 ½ hours before tipoff Kerr will miss Game 3 because of illness and a strained left calf will cost Durant a second consecutive outing.
Compounding problems, Shaun Livingston (sprained finger, bruised hand) and Matt Barnes (sprained ankle and foot) were also ruled out as Golden State tried to build on the 2-0 lead.
Mike Brown, the experienced No. 1 assistant, will replace Kerr. There was no immediate indication from the Warriors whether Kerr had a basic illness or this was a recurrence of problems that forced a leave of absence the first 43 games last season. He appeared to be in some discomfort after Golden State took a 2-0 lead in the first-round series on Wednesday in Oakland, but was at practice on Friday.
Kerr had missed shootaround earlier in the day, raising the possibility he would also stay behind for the game at Moda Center. He now has another couple days before Game 4 here on Monday night.
Brown has been a head coach with the Cavaliers (twice) and Lakers for parts or all of eight seasons. This is his first campaign as a Warriors assistant.
Patrick McCaw is expected to start at small forward in place of Durant, just as McCaw did late in the regular season and with good production in Game 2 at Oracle Arena.
