How Will Kevin Durant's Return Affect Golden State? Warriors Could Improve Before Playoffs

Just a few weeks after suffering a scary knee injury, Kevin Durant is looking to get back on the court. The Golden State Warriors’ forward could return as early as Saturday, potentially returning to the lineup in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, Durant has progressed better during his recovery than the Warriors could have hoped, suffering no setbacks and looking to be ahead of schedule.

“Hopefully we can get him in for a couple of regular-season games,” head coach Steve Kerr told reporters Sunday. “We'll see how it goes. We'll see what the training staff says. I'm not too worried about incorporating him because he's been with us all season and fit right in from the beginning. So whenever he gets back, we'll plug him back in there and watch his minutes.”

The Warriors' plan has been to get Durant some playing time before the postseason begins, and it appears they’ll be able to do just that. If he returns Saturday, the All-Star will get the chance to compete in three games. Golden State ends the regular season with a three-game homestand, hosting the Pelicans Saturday, Utah Jazz Monday and the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday.

Durant will be on a minutes restriction, however, as he works his way back into the lineup. He’ll likely be playing in meaningless games for the Warriors, who are on the verge of clinching home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

The Warriors struggled mightily when Durant initially got hurt, losing five of seven games. But Golden State has since recovered nicely, looking like the team that won 73 games a year ago. The Warriors have won 12 straight games, picking up seven victories against playoff teams, including three against the West’s No.2 and No.3 seeds.

Golden State, however, isn't worried that Durant's arrival will slow them down. The Warriors won 50 of their first 59 games, prior to their losing skid in early March, and they expect to get even better now that Durant will be joining Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson back on the court.

“Now that he’s coming back, it’s going to be scarier,” center JaVale McGee said after shoot-around Tuesday, via The San Francisco Chronicle. “We’re putting up a lot of numbers even without him. Now, we’re adding a guy averaging 25 points. It’s crazy.”

Durant was playing like an MVP candidate before he suffered his injury, averaging 25.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game on 53.7 percent shooting from the field. The Warriors have outscored their opponents by an average of 14.7 points per 100 possessions when Durant is on the floor, compared to when he is on the bench.

“We’re playing really well, but in my opinion, if Kevin had been here the last 12 games, we would’ve won the last 12. This has nothing to do with his absence; this has to do with the schedule,” Kerr said Tuesday night, via The Mercury News.

“We came back off that trip, the schedule totally turned in our favor. And after losing some games, we just got our edge. And when we got our edge, we started defending, that’s why we’re playing well. That would’ve happened whether Kevin was here or not.”

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