The Phoenix Suns have officially listed Kevin Durant as doubtful for Thursday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, keeping the star out as the team continues to jockey for playoff positioning.
Durant, one of the biggest workhorses for the Suns this season, is reportedly coming in with residual soreness and his status in the game might be in doubt. The Suns have not altogether ruled him out, but as of the last injury report available, he remains unlikely to feature.
Durant’s Injury Impact on the Suns
The Suns did not reveal exactly what Durant is suffering from but stated “injury management” as the reason for his status.
With all this injury history with Durant, the Suns should take caution so as to safeguard his long-term health. So far this season, Durant has averaged.
- 28.3 points per game
- 7.1 rebounds per game
- 5.2 assists per game
With Phoenix fighting for a top seed in the Western Conference, losing Durant for any amount of time will greatly affect their chances, especially against a young, up-tempo Thunder team.
How the Suns Will Adapt Without Durant
If Durant can’t play, the Suns will need to count on Devin Booker and Bradley Beal to get offense. The Suns will also be looking for other key contributions from:
- Jusuf Nurkic will provide inside presence and rebounding.
- Grayson Allen is a three-point shooter.
- Josh Okogie or Nassir Little could get more playing time to make up for the loss.
Without Durant, the Suns lose one of their best scoring threats and the rest of the roster is put under greater pressure against a Thunder team that is currently among the top seeds in the West.
Thunder’s Advantage Against a Short-Handed Suns Team
Perhaps, though, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder are one of the biggest surprises this season and with a core of players his age, exhibit elite chemistry as well as top-notch defensive play.
The Durant-less Thunder now would possess one of the stronger defensive lineups, so even when the Sun’s dynamic duo is out, the scoring wouldn’t come that easily.
What’s next for Durant and the Suns?
With the NBA All-Star break approaching, the Suns may choose to rest Durant now to ensure he’s fully healthy for the second half of the season.
Phoenix has a challenging schedule ahead, and if Durant misses extended time, it could impact their playoff seeding and momentum. However, Suns head coach Frank Vogel emphasized that the team is prioritizing Durant’s long-term health over any single game.
Although Durant has not been officially ruled out, his status has been downgraded to doubtful, which all but suggests that Phoenix will not have its star forward for the critical matchup against the Thunder. The Suns now have to count on their depth and star backcourt to keep pace in this tight Western Conference playoff race.
