NBA – Phoenix, what a blow: Durant out at least three weeks

Out of action for at least three weeks. The Phoenix Suns have officially communicated the diagnosis and prognosis of Kevin Durant’s injury: left ankle sprain, recovery times tell us that we will not see him again on the parquet before April. They hope before the start of the playoffs, scheduled for April 15th. But he is not obvious. Obviously the franchise and the player will not take rash risks, despite the need to improve the position in the post-season grid is clear to all. They’re fourth in the West now, with 37 wins and 29 losses. But their season will be judged by what they can do in the playoffs, so that’s when they have to show up at their best, with the best players in full athletic efficiency.

The injury

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Durant had hurt himself in the warm-up before the game against Oklahoma City, the one of the alleged home debut in the Suns shirt, therefore further postponed. KD has played just 42 games so far this season due to assorted ailments. Just three for Phoenix, after the trade that brought him to Arizona from Brooklyn. All away. All victories. Obtained by averaging 26.7 points, with 7.3 rebounds and 3.7 “surrounding” assists. But now he has to deal with the umpteenth stop.

The words of coach Williams

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The coach of the Suns had seemed dismayed, despite the success against the Thunder, for the umpteenth physical stumble of his new champion. “I feel bad for him because I know how bad he feels right now. I’ve looked at his face and I know how he feels, and I’m sorry he feels this way.” Durant is 34 years old, Chris Paul almost 38. In short, the future of the Suns is now. The urgency to win is palpable, because the aches and pains of the veterans are and will be inevitable, looking forward. At the same time, precisely for this reason, in Arizona they will have to be lucid and not rush Durant in order not to risk relapses, not to waste the perhaps unique opportunity to win the first franchise title. Because Paul could retire at the end of the season. And this is therefore a train that risks passing only once. And that must be taken on the fly.