Report: Durant to miss Game 1, unlikely for Game 2
Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant will be forced to miss Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday with a calf strain, sources told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
Durant will reportedly be re-evaluated Thursday, making a return in Game 2 "unlikely."
The 30-year-old suffered the injury in the third quarter of the Warriors' Game 5 victory over the Houston Rockets and was forced to miss the team's series-clinching Game 6 win on Friday.
Golden State will continue to lean on Stephen Curry as the focal point of its offense in Durant's absence. The two-time MVP finished with 33 points Friday - all in the second half.
Durant has been among the Association's best playoff performers thus far, averaging 34.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 39.1 minutes per game.
The Warriors are featuring in their fifth straight conference finals. The Blazers, meanwhile, advanced to this stage for the first time since 2000 after defeating the Denver Nuggets in a tightly contested Game 7 on the road.