Kevin Durant Injury Update: Warriors Forward Could Miss Finals, Jon Barry Claims

The Golden State Warriors booked their place in the 2019 NBA Finals for the fifth straight season after sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers 4-0 in the Western Conference finals. And they did it without 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant, who is sidelined with a right calf strain.

The Warriors small forward suffered the injury during Game 5 against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals and has not played since. He was expected to return for his team’s finals against Trail Blazers but missed the first four games with head coach Steve Kerr revealing after Game 3 that the injury was worse than first anticipated.

The Warriors were removed as favorites for a third straight NBA title in the immediate aftermath of Durant’s injury and many questioned whether they had the skill set required to see off the Rockets and the Trail Blazers. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson showed why they won the title and made the finals in 2016 without Durant by taking their game to a new level against the Blazers.

But Curry, Thompson and Green are hoping to have Durant back for the finals after admitting that they need the forward in order to ensure they complete the 3-peat. But according to ESPN’s Jon Barry, there is a possibility that Durant does not return again this season.

Thursday will mark exactly two weeks since Durant suffered the injury and a mild calf strain, according to orthopedic specialist Dr. Alan Beyer, will take a minimum of two weeks to heal, but if it is worse than initially expected the forward could be out for longer. The Warriors are likely to be extra cautious as Durant has suffered a similar injury in the past.

The Warriors have nine days before the NBA Finals begin and Barry feels they will face the Milwaukee Bucks in the finals despite the Eastern Conference finals finely poised at 2-1 with the Bucks leading Toronto Raptors. Moreover, he feels Giannis Antetokounmpo and company can pull off an upset and beat the Warriors in the finals if they are without Durant.

"Don't be surprised if he doesn't play for the rest of the year, just based on what I'm hearing," Barry said on The Dan Patrick Show, as quoted by the Express. "I think Milwaukee is going to get through Toronto.”

"I think it's going to be a tough series, but I think they're going to get through. And I think Milwaukee can legitimately beat the Warriors without Durant,” he added.

If Durant’s injury is worse than first expected and the small forward cannot return to the court this season, it could also be the last time Warriors see him in their team’s jersey. The two-time NBA champion will enter free agency later in July and multiple reports have him joining the New York Knicks ahead of next season.