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Kevin Durant might be missing more than his home debut last night for the Phoenix Suns against the OKC Thunder. Much to the disappointment of the hyped-up fans, the former MVP couldn't show his stuff in front of the home crowd after injuring his ankle.
KD seemed to have just shaken off the injury last night after getting up and finishing his pre-game routine. He tried not to push off on that ankle, though, as the entire state of Arizona probably had its eyes on him.
Here's what "The Arizona Republic" had to say, which may have caused some gnashing of teeth in Phoenix:
"That there is concern within the organization that Durant has a grade 2 sprain, which would keep him out for between four and six weeks.
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"Phoenix’s regular season finale is April 9, meaning it’s possible Durant could miss the remainder of the regular season and potentially the start of the playoffs."
The ankle problem is the latest injury to hit Kevin Durant this season. He previously had a right knee MCL sprain that sidelined him for 20 games before his return on Mar. 1 against the Charlotte Hornets.
Durant's next game was also on the road as the Suns took on the Dallas Mavericks on Monday before their home game against the OKC Thunder on Wednesday.
Kevin Durant's supposed-to-be debut had Phoenix Suns fans excited. The team's tickets for last night's game sold out in a hurry when Durant was scheduled to make an appearance.
If the update is true, then it's a shocking turnaround from what Devin Booker had to say about KD's injury during the post-game conference:
"He's fine, it's just a roll. We'll get him right and he'll have the debut another day."
That "another day" might end up being in the postseason if the Phoenix Suns nail a playoff berth.
Kevin Durant's injury could derail the Phoenix Suns' championship hopes
To say that Kevin Durant is banged up is a huge understatement. It took him 20 games to get back on the floor after recovering from his right knee MCL sprain. Another four weeks of rehab to heal his ankle could end up jeopardizing the Phoenix Suns' title hopes.
The Suns were just starting to hit their stride with KD in the fold. They were on a three-game winning streak and looked better than ever, particularly with the win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Durant's impact was evident right from his debut versus the Charlotte Hornets. The Suns, especially Devin Booker, have enjoyed some open looks simply because of KD's presence.
In three games played alongside Kevin Durant, Devin Booker is averaging 36.0 points, 7.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds. "Book" has also hit 55.9% of his field goals, including a blistering 45.4% from behind the arc.
On Wednesday night against the OKC Thunder, Booker still erupted for 44 points, four rebounds and three assists. He's an elite scorer who will be even more dangerous when Durant is on the floor.
The Suns will be playing catch-up as far as chemistry and rhythm is concerned if Kevin Durant returns only during the postseason. As malleable as Durant is, more playing time with his new team would have been the ideal set-up.
Hopefully, the freak injury he sustained last night will not have a much bigger impact on the Phoenix Suns' championship campaign.
You may also like to read: Fans go berserk as Kevin Durant tweaks ankle during pregame shoot around: "He slipped on Devin Bookers tears from all the crying he does"
