PHOENIX — During Sunday night’s intense NBA clash between the Phoenix Suns and the Houston Rockets, an unfortunate accident sidelined All-Star player Kevin Durant. With 6:57 remaining in the third quarter, Durant was assisted off the court after an awkward fall following a collision with Jabari Smith Jr. of the Rockets.
The incident happened under the Phoenix basket where Smith was penalized with a foul. Observers noted that the fall appeared to occur when Durant landed on Smith’s foot, causing the 6-foot-10 forward to struggle to stand without support. Consequently, Durant was unable to exert any pressure on his left leg.
In the aftermath of Houston’s commanding 148-109 victory, Suns coach Mike Budenholzer commented that Durant is scheduled for an MRI on his left ankle on Monday. As a precautionary measure, Durant will not travel with the team for their upcoming match against Milwaukee on Tuesday night. This week, the Suns also face off against Boston and New York.
With only two weeks left in the regular season and six games remaining to play, Phoenix finds itself in a challenging position as it vies for a spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. The team currently trails Dallas by two games, adding pressure to every upcoming match.
Before his exit, Durant had played 23 minutes contributing 11 points and acquiring eight rebounds. Earlier this year, Durant reached a significant career milestone by moving into eighth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.