The Warriors will be without superstar Kevin Durant not only for Thursday's Game 2, but also Games 3 and 4 in Portland.
Bob Myers just said Kevin Durant won't travel for Games 3 and 4. Tonight just got a lot bigger.— Brian Witt (@Wittnessed) May 17, 2019
ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported earlier Thursday that Durant is "not close" to returning to the court.
Durant originally strained his right calf late in the third quarter of Game 5 against the Rockets in the second round of the NBA playoffs on May 8. Since then, the Warriors have not missed a beat. Golden State held on to defeat Houston in Game 5 without KD, before eliminating the Rockets in Game 6 and taking down the Blazers in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
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In Durant's absence, Steph Curry has risen to the occasion, averaging 34.5 points in the two games without his fellow MVP teammate. The Warriors will continue to rely on Curry even more as they continue their march towards a third straight championship.
