Kevin Durant Suffers Right MCL Sprain, Out for at Least Two Weeks

Kevin Durant is all too familiar with an isolated MCL sprain. Just last season, the Brooklyn Nets season plans for a championship were derailed when Durant suffered a similar injury.

Earlier this week, the sharpshooter had undergone an MRI exam which diagnosed his right MCL sprain. In 2017, the injury saw KD out for over a month and last year, over six weeks. His absence was an obvious strain for the team, however it is expected that this most recent injury will require less recovery time due to the severity of the sprain.

ESPN has reported that KD is expected to miss the next two weeks and will be re-evaluated again. This is significantly less time than the six week recovery he took last season. The incident occurred in the third quarter of the match against Miami Heat when Jimmy Butler drove into the basket and was stopped by Ben Simmons. However, the momentum from the stoppage caused him to collide with Durant, causing Butler to land on KD’s prone leg. Immediately grabbing his right knee, the sharpshooter went into the locker room and did not return to the game. The Nets won 102-101.

Coach Jacque Vaughn told the NBA, “Right knee, he’ll get evaluated tomorrow and then hopefully I’ll have some more info. Most likely it will include imaging, just to make sure we’re good.” Teammate Kyrie Iriving added, “Those plays are scary, because when someone’s not looking what’s going on, anything can happen in those moments. So I’m grateful for all that time he’s put in the weight room putting his body in a great position, and his body was able to save him from something worse.”

While Kevin Durant did miss six weeks with a left MCL sprain a season ago, there’s optimism that this is a less severe injury unlikely to cost him more than a month on the sidelines, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/Dd5jU6bZkd

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 9, 2023

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