The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported that Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (calf strain) did not practice with the team on Saturday. Durant already had been ruled out for Game 2 of the NBA Finals, but hopes persisted that the back-to-back Finals MVP would be able to make a return in Game 3 or 4.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr has said Durant would not be cleared for a game before going through a full-contact practice. As of Saturday, that still has not occurred.
With Durant’s status still up in the air, the team — though hopeful for his return — should plan for a Finals without him. Getting past a ferocious Toronto Raptors’ team and its Jurassic Park fan base won’t be easy and, unfortunately, could prove insurmountable. DeMarcus Cousins’ Game 1 appearance was his first game since going down with a torn quad in the first round and Andre Iguodala has been battling a calf strain, too.
But just how badly do the Warriors need Durant for a chance to claim a third-straight NBA Championship?
In the six Golden State postseason wins with Durant in the 2019 NBA Playoffs, the average margin of victory was 12 points. In the six Golden State wins without Durant, the average margin of victory was 6.3 points. Setting aside the 22-point win over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, the Warriors got those Durant-less wins by five points or fewer.
In other words, without Durant, the Warriors — capable only of slim margins of victory — have an even slimmer margin of error. With hobbled veterans and an inexperienced bench, will the Warriors have enough to get a split in Toronto before returning to Oakland for Game 3?
The Warriors tip off against the Raptors in Game 2 today, Sunday, June 2, at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.
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