How Important Is Kevin Durant To The Golden State Warriors?

It’s fair to say that it is exciting times now for Golden State Warrior fans. After a semi-final series win against the Houston Rockets recently, they progressed to the Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. Their first game went well with a 116-94 victory giving them a pretty easy win.

One fly in the ointment though has been the injury to star player Kevin Durant. This occurred in the 104-99 win against the Rockets in the semi-final series. In the game, two-time NBA MVP legend Durant appeared to strain his right calf. This was confirmed in a later MRI scan and ruled him out for the remaining semi-final game and the first couple of games against Portland. With no exact timescale issued for his return, many Warriors fans may fear his absence could prove disastrous for the team.

Durant is a key player

To answer the original question, Kevin Durant is very important to his team and a big player for them. He has been in great form all season and brings that bit of magic to the Warriors when he plays. The stats around Durant back this up – he led the post-season scorers up until his injury with an average of 34.2 points per game. Anyone who has seen Durant play over his career knows what he brings in offense to a team like Golden State. Creative with the ball in hand, agile and able to score from any part of the court, he is one of the best offensive players the NBA has ever seen. As such, he is a big miss for the Warriors, especially if he does not return until next season.

Warriors fans should not despair

Although Durant is an important player to his team, Warriors fans should not despair over his injury too much. Here are a few reasons why fans should remain positive:

Not a serious injury

The first reason to remain upbeat is that the injury Durant sustained was not as bad as many first thought. To begin with, it was feared he had torn his Achilles heel, which would have been far worse and kept him out for a long time. As it is only a calf strain, Durant could well make a speedy recovery and be back on the team for at least one or two games of the conference finals against Portland. If this happens, they may not have to manage without such a vital player for too long.

Winning without Durant

Many people at first feared for Golden State without their main man playing. Indeed, many sportsbooks online saw the odds for them to win subsequent games lengthen a fair bit. What has surprised many is how the team have stuck to its winning ways without Durant there. A final game win against the Rockets coupled with a superb 116-94 win in the first game of the finals has proven that they can cope without him just fine.

This means that even if he does remain out injured, the Warriors seem to have found a way to play successfully without such an important player. This could also offer up some great sports betting opportunities as you may get some great value odds on a Durant-less Warriors to win. While placing your sports bet or collecting your winnings, you could also take a break from the NBA action with the many casino games some online sites offer as well. For Warriors fans in New Jersey, it is well worth looking for an NJ online casino which offers this.

Excellent players to fill gap

What should not be forgotten either is that, while Durant is a crucial player, Golden State have other quality players who can cover his absence. Their winning form without him shows this to be true. The two that have really taken their chance to adopt center stage are Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Both have helped put the points on the board needed to triumph and their performance has meant that Durant has not been sorely missed as many expected.

Can the Warriors take the NBA title without Durant?

Of course, as all fans nervously await any injury updates on Kevin Durant, this is the big question. After all, it may be that he does not return this season now at all. There is no doubt that he would be missed, especially in the big games where he comes alive and could make the difference. The form of the Warrior’s without him though and the way other players have responded may mean that all is not lost. Indeed, many people feel that a Warriors team without Durant allows other players to express themselves and play with more freedom. As with everything in sport, only time will tell if they can do it without their star player though.

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