The dreaded situation has finally occurred. Kevin Durant, due to a left calf strain, will have to miss at least two weeks of games. Looking back at the new season's record, the Suns have an impressive record of 8 wins and 1 loss, temporarily ranking first in the Western Conference, which has drawn numerous praises: "Budenholzer is truly a genius in the coaching world! The performance of point guard Jones is also too amazing, with immediate results!" The good situation has overshadowed the serious problems that are actually happening. People only see the excellent record of the Suns this season, but this rapid improvement in record has come at the cost of Durant's body, seemingly prosperous but actually fraught with hidden dangers.
In yesterday's game where the Suns narrowly defeated the Mavericks 114-113, Durant unfortunately got injured. He played for 37 minutes and scored 26 points. At the beginning of this season, Durant was in excellent form, repeatedly saving the team from dire situations at critical moments, averaging 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 55.3% and a three-point percentage of 42.9%.
Regarding Durant's injury, medical expert Evan Jeffries stated that the key lies in the severity of his calf strain. If it is a first-degree strain, he needs to rest for 1-2 weeks; if it is a second-degree strain, he may face an absence of 4-6 weeks. It is worth noting that Durant had already missed all five warm-up matches of the U.S. men's basketball team during this offseason due to a right calf strain, but he still went all out in the Paris Olympics, leading the U.S. team to win the gold medal. However, the forced play with injuries in 2019 led to his Achilles tendon rupture.
So far this season, Durant has averaged 38.8 minutes per game, ranking second in the league, which is also the highest average playing time since the 2010-11 season. For a 36-year-old veteran, especially a player like Durant who has suffered serious injuries before, such high-intensity regular season games undoubtedly lay the groundwork for future injuries. Although he averages 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 55.3% and a three-point percentage of 43%, making him one of the early favorites for MVP, such playing time is indeed worrying.
According to statistics, Durant has scored 35 points in critical moments (the last 5 minutes of regular season and overtime with a point difference of no more than 5) this season, ranking first in the league. In the 9 games the Suns have played with Durant, 7 of them have reached critical moments, with a record of 7 wins and 0 losses. However, during Durant's absence, the Suns urgently need Beal to rise. Since joining last summer, Beal's state has significantly declined, averaging only 15.4 points per game, with his shooting percentages dropping to 46.1% and 37.2%. As the team's third superstar, Beal was originally highly anticipated, hoping that he could step up in Durant's absence, but so far he seems not to have returned to his All-Star level.
The Suns urgently need him to regain his former firepower to avoid falling into a greater dilemma due to Durant's injury.