Fans go berserk as Kevin Durant tweaks ankle during pregame shoot around: "He slipped on Devin Bookers tears from all the crying he does"

After the long wait, Kevin Durant’s home debut for the Phoenix Suns will have to wait at least a few more days. The former NBA MVP unfortunately rolled his ankle during warmups before the Suns’ matchup against the OKC Thunder.

Kevin Durant sat out for nearly two months to recover from the right MCL sprain, which he acquired while still with the Brooklyn Nets. He played his first game for the Phoenix Suns last Mar. 1 on the road against the Charlotte Hornets.

KD also saw action in Windy City when the Suns visited the Chicago Bulls before he played against pal Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks. Phoenix was unbeaten during that stretch, which only added to the hype of Durant’s first action in front of the home crowd.

It just wasn’t meant to be as he had rolled his ankle. Fans who paid for premium tickets for this opportunity will be extremely frustrated, to say the least.

Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams had to insert Torrey Craig into the starting lineup to replace Kevin Durant. The Suns held a 60-52 lead by halftime behind Devin Booker’s blistering first-half form where he finished with 30 points to lead all scorers.

The Phoenix Suns are looking to cement a top-four finish with or without Kevin Durant

The Phoenix Suns hold a 36-29 record, which is fourth in the bunched-up Western Conference, following their win over the Mavericks two nights ago. They’ve slowly climbed the rankings, now just 2.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies (38-26).

The Suns’ next 10 games will be crucial. They will have to hope they get KD as they have a slew of tough opponents. They’ll take on the Sacramento Kings, the Golden State Warriors and the Milwaukee Bucks in their next three games.

Phoenix will also have a rematch with the stubborn OKC Thunder before battling the LA Lakers, the Kings again and the Philadelphia 76ers. These will be difficult teams to deal with, even with Kevin Durant in the lineup.

Luckily, it seemed like Durant was fine as he managed to finish his pregame workout. The Suns may likely just be exercising extreme caution.

If Durant is compromised, the Suns will have an even tougher time trying to keep their current spot in the Western Conference. More importantly, they may not go far deep into the postseason without the former two-time NBA Finals MVP.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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