A new report indicates that Kevin Durant will suit up and give it a go as the Golden State Warriors face an elimination game.
Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area reported Monday that multiple sources expect Durant to be a “full go” for the Warriors’ do-or-die Game 5 on Monday night.
Though the Warriors are saying Kevin Durant (calf) is ‘a game-time decision’ for Game 5 Monday night, he’s expected to be a full go, according to multiple league sources.
Durant has been listed as a game-time decision by coach Steve Kerr, but all signs point to him suiting up. He went through both practice and shootaround, and Kerr said he “looked good” doing so. The reality is that Golden State simply can’t afford to wait any longer. They’re down 3-1 in the NBA Finals, and if Durant even has a chance to contribute at all, he will play. It sounds like that is precisely what will happen.
Will Kevin Durant make his 2019 Finals debut in Game 5? We won’t know until right before tipoff.
According to Steve Kerr, Durant was a full participant in Monday’s shootaround, but he is considered a game-time decision for what is a do-or-die Game 5 for Golden State.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr says Kevin Durant went through the morning session and is a game-time decision for tonight: “He looked good, and we’ll see where it goes.”
It’s the same status that was given to Klay Thompson before Game 3, where he ultimately didn’t play. This feels different, though. Durant got in a practice and a shootaround and has been undergoing heavy treatment, and with the Warriors facing a must-win, they’ll do everything they possibly can to get him out there. That determination ultimately will not be made until just before the start of the game, but it feels like he has a decent chance of suiting up.
The Toronto Raptors will have a huge audience on Monday night as they try to claim their first NBA title over the Golden State Warriors.
Case in point? The line to get into the outdoor Jurassic Park viewing area was huge over nine hours before tipoff. It stretched around the entire building, despite being a rainy weekday.
11:30am in rainy Toronto, 9.5 hours before game time, and the line for Jurassic Park is already wrapped around the building. pic.twitter.com/w0fM7YhpZi
People are clearly aware that spots are going to be at an absolute premium on Monday evening, but they want to be a part of what they hope will be a historic night. Some fans have been lined up for a very long time, but their patience is finally close to being rewarded.
Rory McIlroy is getting caught up in the Toronto Raptors hype while finishing things off at the Canadian Open.
McIlroy posted a dominant final round 61, good for a score of nine-under and a seven-stroke victory on Sunday. As he walked off the 18th green, he produced a Toronto Raptors jersey in front of the crowd.
Rory McIlroy walking off the18th hole after winning the Canadian Open, has a Kyle Lowry jersey slung over his shoulder. #NBAFinals
McIlroy is definitely a basketball fan, though he has no obvious ties to the Raptors. If you’re in town and took in a recent game, though, you might as well show some love to the home team, especially with Canada in the midst of basketball fever.
What will happen to the Golden State Warriors if they can’t come back against the Toronto Raptors?
The future is uncertain, with both Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant facing free agency at the end of the season, and doubts linger over whether both can be retained. The thinking is that it could lead to the end of the Warriors’ dominance over the rest of the NBA.
Andre Iguodala, one of the core members of the dynasty, doesn’t see it that way.
Part of Andre Iguodala's answer today when asked about the Warriors uncertain future: "I'll be here next year for sure, and I'm pretty confident that we'll have our core back and we'll try to make another run at it."
Ownership has been bullish about retaining both impending free agents, but even losing one would alter the look of the franchise. We may be watching the end of an era Monday night, no matter what Iguodala says.
Fred VanVleet is preparing to have some minor impacts from taking an inadvertent elbow to the face in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
The Toronto Raptors guard said he’d have to wear a mouthguard, which he dislikes, but continues to have no symptoms of a concussion.
VanVleet says he hates wearing a mouthguard, all kids should wear them, but now he's going to have to. He says he will probably toss it at some point during game. Says he continues to have no concussion symptoms. Eye is a bit blurry, but he's had worse
VanVleet will obviously be good to go for the potentially decisive Game 5, and it does not appear that he’s going to be seriously impacted by what happened in Game 4. The Raptors couldn’t really do without him, as he’s averaging just under 13 points per game and playing tough defense on Stephen Curry.
Kevin Durant looks to be making a late charge to feature in the NBA Finals.
According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Durant has been cleared to practice ahead of Game 5 on Monday, his first practice since injuring his calf against the Houston Rockets.
Kevin Durant will be cleared to practice today, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
Coach Steve Kerr simply said that Durant is doing “more” on Sunday, and did not rule out Durant playing in Game 5.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr says Kevin Durant is practicing today and working out with younger players. Kerr: “He’s doing more today. We’ll know more after that.”
Kerr has said previously that Durant could suit up after only practicing once. With the Warriors down 3-1 heading back to Toronto, this very well could be his last chance to make an impact on the series, and Golden State desperately needs that.
The Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors will have two days to prepare for a potentially decisive Game 5, but for certain Raptors fans, there’s no time to waste.
Multiple fans had begun lining up at the entrance to Jurassic Park, the open-air viewing area outside of Scotiabank Arena for fans without tickets to watch the game on big screens. The fans began to camp out over 48 hours ahead of tipoff in order to be the first ones in Monday night to watch the Raptors potentially win the NBA title.
The fans all had different stories for why they were there, but they did come prepared.
First in line is 33-year-old Angie Taylor from Cambridge, Ont. who has packed some groceries, a portable stove and dry shampoo. pic.twitter.com/Nei6rHXIAz
Next in line is father and son Zac Tiessen, 22, and Doug Tiessen, 55, from Stoney Creek, Ontario. They say camping out for Jurassic Park is their version of father and son bonding pic.twitter.com/JMAxvaJfMt
In addition to the tent, the first two fans in line were armed with a cooler, and a stove — and plenty of food.
“We got three pounds of bacon, a dozen eggs, hot dogs if we really get hungry – those are a last resort, some steaks we picked up from Walmart, a kettle to make coffee and water bottles. We are good to go,” one of the fans, who identified himself as Tyler, told Chris Fox of CP24.
The images from Jurassic Park during games have become one of the most memorable parts of Toronto’s playoff run. It seemed pretty wild how long people waited to get in for Game 1, but this is on an entirely different level.
After the game, VanVleet posted a photo on his Instagram page showing his cracked tooth. Drake commented that he would let his “twin” use his free healthcare in Canada.
That humor and cleverness from Drake is why people love him.
VanVleet was cleared of a concussion and ready to return to the game, so he should be fine to play in Game 5 on Monday with his team looking to clinch the series.
Now that the Golden State Warriors are down 3-1 in the NBA Finals, people want to know what is going on with Kevin Durant. Have the Warriors downplayed the severity of his injury? Is Durant unwilling to tough things out? Or is something else going on?
According to one reporter, the Warriors had hopes of Durant playing in Game 4 on Friday night, but he suffered a setback.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst joined “SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt” after the Warriors’ 105-92 loss to the Raptors on Friday night and shared some information about Durant. He said the Warriors thought Durant would be able to play on Friday but his body wasn’t ready.
“This team I really do believe think that he was going to practice [Thursday] and play [Friday]. And when he wasn’t able to do that, it was a setback,” Windhorst told Van Pelt. “Durant just isn’t ready. His body is not ready. The trainers don’t believe, he doesn’t believe it. He tried to do some stuff in practice [Thursday], it didn’t work.”
.@WindhorstESPN: “Durant just isn’t ready. His body isn’t ready. The trainers don’t believe it, he doesn’t believe it…”
This is why the Warriors have not been able to provide more clarity on the situation. They’re testing things out and really don’t know how Durant will respond. He’s been out since May 8 with his calf injury, is trying and wants to play, but he’s just not ready, regardless of the circumstance and how badly the team needs him.
The Warriors trail 3-1 in the series and will be facing elimination on Monday in Game 5.
