Kevin Durant will play in Game 5 but can he save the Warriors?
With the Golden State Warriors trailing 3-1 in the NBA Finals, they could use Kevin Durant, who is a game-time decision for Game 5 vs. Toronto.
Anyone who has argued the Warriors don’t need Kevin Durant to win championships has looked foolish so far in the NBA Finals. The Warriors have struggled to generate offense without Durant against the Toronto Raptors’ stifling defense, and that is with Stephen Curry putting up elite performances and Klay Thompson battling through a hamstring injury.
Durant, who hasn’t played since injuring his calf against the Houston Rockets in the second round, practiced Sunday for the first time since suffering the injury nearly a month ago. Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr told the media on Monday that Durant is a game-time decision Game 5.
If Durant plays, he wouldn’t be subject to a minutes restriction. NBC’s Monte Poole reports Durant will be a full-go despite the team’s designation he’ll be a game-time decision.
Though the Warriors are saying Kevin Durant (calf) is ‘a game-time decision’ for Game 5 Monday night, he’s expected to be a full go, according to multiple league sources.
— Monte Poole (@MontePooleNBCS) June 10, 2019
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski later reported Durant plans to play.
Golden State's Kevin Durant plans to play in Game 5 tonight, league source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 10, 2019
There is no question the return of Durant would be a huge boost for Golden State, which hasn’t been able to generate enough points to win games. Getting Durant back, even if he isn’t 100 percent just yet, would help space the floor for the rest of the Warriors’ shooters since Toronto would have to respect Durant’s ability.
This is also an intriguing moment for Durant, who is going to be a free agent this summer and has widely been rumored to leave Golden State in search of his own team. One of the most common criticisms of Durant’s legacy is the Warriors could win without him, and if he is able to return to bring the Warriors back from a 3-1 deficit it would be credited almost exclusively to him.
That could impact Durant’s thinking in free agency, perhaps convincing him he has too much of a good thing in Golden State to leave. Either way, all the Warriors care about right now is they have to win Game 5 to extend their season, and their best chance to do that is with Durant on the floor.