Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted what the team and its fans knew in their hearts: Kevin Durant will not be available for Friday night's potentially decisive Game 6 against the Houston Rockets.
Durant suffered a right calf strain that initially looked much worse during the Warriors' 104-99 Game 5 win Wednesday night at Oracle Arena.
"He's not going to play Game 6," Kerr told The Athletic's Tim Kawakawi. "We can all pretend and just say he's doubtful. But he's not playing Game 6."
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Kerr hinted at that possibility in his media availability throughout the night, but his comments to Kawakawi were the most direct, even if they weren't surprising. All the team would say is that Durant will have an MRI on Thursday, and his travel status for the Houston trip is TBD.
Durant went down toward the end of the third quarter and limped to the locker room. He didn't return, and now the Warriors will try to close their NBA playoff second-round series without him.
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A win Friday, and the Warriors will play either the Denver Nuggets or the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference finals. A loss, and a do-or-die Game 7 against the Rockets back in Oakland awaits.
Golden State Warriors
"Maybe he can bounce back soon, and we can win another game in this series and move forward and maybe get him back," Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area's Kerith Burke after the game. "But we’ll see how it all pans out."