After earning his first Most Valuable Player award last season, Kevin Durant suffered a fractured right foot before the start of the 2014-15 NBA season. While Durant averaged 25.4 points in 27 games, the Thunder superstar has been sidelined since Feb. 22 after undergoing another procedure.
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While there were expectations Durant would be able to return before the start of the playoffs, the Thunder announced that he has been ‘removed from basketball activities’ via ESPN:
Kevin Durant has been “removed from basketball activities” and could end up being shut down for the season, Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti announced Friday.
When asked if Durant could miss the remainder of the season, general manager Sam Presti said that is the direction the franchise is headed in:
When asked if Durant was being shut down for the season, Presti said, “Essentially, that’s the direction we’re headed right now.”
While Durant has missed most of the season, Russell Westbrook has emerged as a MVP candidate as the Thunder are currently the eighth seed in the highly competitive Western Conference. However, the Thunder suffered another blow as Serge Ibaka is out four to six weeks after knee surgery.
With less than a month before the end of the regular season, the Thunder only have a one-game lead on the New Orleans Pelicans. While the Thunder could still make the playoffs with Westbrook’s play, all the focus is on Durant as he looks to fully recover from his foot injury.
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