The Warriors improved to 13-4 on the season with a 118-111 win over the Nets in Brooklyn on Sunday night. For the Nets, it was another positive sign that they are able to hang with the NBA’s best. For the Warriors, it was another win while missing one of their top stars.
Golden State took care of Brooklyn without the services of Kevin Durant, who sat out with a left ankle sprain suffered late in the Warriors’ comeback win over the Sixers on Saturday night. Durant is listed as “day-to-day” with the tweaked ankle and Golden State doesn’t have to play again until Wednesday.
That Wednesday night contest is a big one, however, as it will be the Warriors’ first trip to Oklahoma City this season. With the Thunder adding Paul George and Carmelo Anthony this summer, they are considered one of the top contenders to Golden State this season, even if the early returns haven’t quite panned out in OKC. There’s also the ever-present storyline of Durant being back in OKC, where he and the Thunder fans (and organization) have an acrimonious, at the least, relationship.
Prior to Sunday night’s game against the Nets, Durant told ESPN’s Chris Haynes that he’s “not sure” whether he’ll be able to play Wednesday night, which would certainly put a bit of a damper on the proceedings.
Kevin Durant (ankle sprain) tells ESPN “I’m not sure” if he’ll be able to go Wednesday at OKC: “I’m just going to take it day by day and see how it progresses.”
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) November 19, 2017
Durant was welcomed back to Oklahoma City last year with “cupcake” chants and plenty of taunts, and the Thunder faithful will probably have plenty to say to their former star after his “f*ck all of them” comments about the organization with regards to his No. 35 being given away. There are still two full days for Durant’s ankle to heal some more and we likely won’t know his official status until the day of, but if he doesn’t go, the OKC faithful will undoubtedly take it as a slight against them.
