Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant sidelined for at least two weeks due to left calf strain
Phoenix Suns star player Kevin Durant will undergo a re-evaluation in two weeks after experiencing a left calf strain during the team’s close 114-113 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday at American Airlines Center.
Durant noticed discomfort in his left calf while on the bench during a timeout before entering the game with 7:39 left. He led the team with 26 points, helping Phoenix (8-1) secure their seventh consecutive win.
In his 18th season, Durant is averaging 27.6 points per game while shooting 55.3% from the field and 42.9% from beyond the arc. So far, he has had five games scoring 30 points or more and is also contributing with 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
The Suns will play again on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings (5-4) at Footprint Center, followed by a four-game road trip starting Tuesday at the Utah Jazz (1-7). Given his injury timeline, Durant is likely to be unavailable for the upcoming road games, which include matches against Utah, Sacramento, Oklahoma City (8-1), and Minnesota (6-3).
Previously, Durant missed all five exhibition games for Team USA leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics due to a right calf strain. However, he returned for the group stage and played in every game, contributing to a perfect 6-0 run that culminated in a gold medal. In his first game back against Serbia, he netted 23 points, making his first eight shots, including a flawless 5-of-5 from three-point range.
Durant has a history of calf injuries, including a significant right calf issue during the 2019 playoffs with the Golden State Warriors, after which he sustained a right Achilles injury in the NBA Finals that kept him sidelined for the rest of the playoffs and the entire 2019-20 season while with the Brooklyn Nets.