Wearing his recently released orange Nike shoes, Kevin Durant walked into the Ford Center on Monday night without crutches, with only a slight limp. That's a vast improvement from when Durant used crutches and wore a protective boot last weekend in Dallas and Memphis.
After Durant suffered a severely sprained right ankle Friday night in Dallas, a team source said Durant suffered a grade II sprained ankle that would sideline him seven to 14 days. "It's definitely improving," said Thunder coach Scott Brooks. "Young guys' bodies heal a lot quicker than older guys. Mentally, they think they can also heal quicker. But we're going to make sure he's 100 percent."
The earliest Durant will return is this weekend - Saturday at New Orleans or Sunday at home against Philadelphia.
"We don't want this to linger into the summer when he will develop into an even better player," Brooks said. "Kevin is a big part of this franchise. We're not going to jeopardize a couple of games here and there."
Durant suffered the injury when he landed awkwardly after being fouled by Josh Howard in the first quarter of an overtime loss Friday in Dallas. X-rays were negative.
"Unfortunate plays happen," Durant said Saturday night in Memphis. "It's part of the game. I'm just glad it's not as bad as (it first appeared)."
Durant understands the Thunder's cautious approach.
"I'm not worried about going into the summer," Durant said. "I want to get better with my teammates throughout the rest of the year. It's tough not to be on the floor."
Brooks said the medical team will put the NBA's fourth-leading scorer (26.0) through a battery of tests before he's given clearance to return.
"With Kevin, it's going to be tough to keep him off the court because he loves the game," Brooks said. "But we're going to make sure he's 100 percent before we put him on the court."
