"It sucks, it's the worst" - Kevin Durant underlines silver lining while reflecting on missing Suns games due to injury

Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant missed the last seven games as he dealt with a left calf strain. However, he's expected to return to the lineup on Tuesday, as the Suns (9-7) take on the LA Lakers (10-6) for the Group Stage of the Emirates NBA Cup.

Ahead of their game, Durant was interviewed by Kay Adams on "Up & Adams" where he talked about what he went through while on his road to recovery.

Durant is one of the Suns' top offensive options, and losing him to injury hurt their record. KD wasn't the only star for Phoenix to miss games. Bradley Beal (expected to return Tuesday) missed five games due to a left calf strain. The team had a 1-6 record in the absence of the two stars.

While Durant worked on improving his health, he told Adams it wasn't the best experience.

"It sucks, it's the worst," Durant said about missing the last seven games. "Our team was on a road trip so I would come here every day by myself, just lifting, working out, rehabbing, then go home and watch the games. I'd just dread every second of watching the game, I wanna be out there helping the guys."

Fortunately for Durant, he learned one thing while he recovered from his injury:

"You just kinda reset your mind, your body and get a clear view of what the league looks like from the outside looking in. I'm not playing so I get to watch games from a different vantage point. I think that's the only good thing... I'm ready to jump back into the action."

Durant has played nine games this season, averaging 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

---

How did Kevin Durant perform the last time the Suns faced the Lakers?

The Suns have faced the Lakers twice in the 2024-25 NBA season. The last time the two teams played against each other was on Oct. 28, with Phoenix taking home the 109-105 victory.

The two-time NBA champion has 30 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Kevin Durant shot the ball well and made 55% of his field goals against the Los Angeles squad. Defensively, the Suns forward asserted his dominance and protected the rim with his four blocked shots.

His All-Star teammate, Devin Booker, had an efficient night with 33 points on a 47.8% shooting clip. Beal also scored double digits with 15 points and two steals.

The Suns, who may be playing at their full strength on Tuesday, have a chance to get back into the win column after losing five games on the trot.