Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors: 5 Keys To Surviving Kevin Durant Injury

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:53 p.m. ET

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Fansided, Gerald Bourguet/FanSided via Hoops Habit

Jan 22, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA;Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

In the wake of a Kevin Durant injury, here's what the Golden State Warriors need to do to survive his expected absence of at least four weeks.

Tuesday night in Washington, the Golden State Warriors were dealt a potentially devastating blow on a first quarter play that ended in a Kevin Durant injury. When Wizards center Marcin Gortat threw Zaza Pachulia to the ground, he fell backward into KD's knee, which bent in a way knees aren't supposed to bend.

Warriors fans braced for the worst possible news, but the eventual diagnosis after an MRI was as close to a "best-case scenario" as they could hope for: Though KD suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain and tibial bone bruise in his knee, he would be re-evaluated in four weeks.

That timetable, assuming he's healthy enough to return at the end of the four weeks, would put him back on the court with about two weeks of regular season action left. That's not a lot of time to shake off a month's worth of rust, especially with the playoffs looming, but the Dubs will take what they can get at this point.

The question is, how do the Warriors survive the next month (at least) without the guy who's been their best player in 2016-17? And how do Golden State's title hopes fare in the wake of a Kevin Durant injury?

Here's a look at five keys for this championship-caliber team to keep its season on track.

Feb 28, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) holds his knee after being injured against the Washington Wizards in the first quarter at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

5. KD Returning On Time

A bit of an obvious key here, but the Warriors aren't going to be avenging last year's 3-1 Finals collapse if Kevin Durant isn't back in enough time to not only shake off the rust, but prepare for a potential first round matchup that has given this team problems over the last few seasons.

Though no one would call the Denver Nuggets a "good team" with a 27-33 record that has them clinging to the West's eighth seed, they present a few matchup problems for a Warriors side that has struggled to stop Nikola Jokic.

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Over the last two years, Golden State is 5-2 against the Nuggets, so it probably seems like worrying about them in the first round is a bit of a reach. But it wouldn't be the first time an eighth-seeded Denver team knocked off the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, and it's worth mentioning that a lot of the games between these two teams lately have been close.

Last year, Nuggets lost to Golden State by three in a regular season game played without Stephen Curry. A few days later, they beat the Warriors by two in a game played without Draymond Green. Just a few weeks ago, they shellacked the Dubs by 22, making 24 threes in a game played without Klay Thompson.

It's easy to dismiss those negative encounters as the Warriors playing undermanned, but if KD can't return on time for the first round of the playoffs and the Nuggets hold on to that eighth seed, isn't that the exact same scenario they'd be facing?

Kevin Durant returning on time is important not only so he has enough time to shake off the rust for another run to the NBA Finals, but it could be crucial to ensuring the Warriors handle their business in the first round.

January 8, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Matt Barnes (22) during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Golden 1 Center. The Warriors defeated the Kings 117-106. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

4. Matt Barnes Exceeding Expectations

In the wake of the Kevin Durant injury, the Warriors decided to sign swingman Matt Barnes, who had been waived by the Sacramento Kings a few days earlier.

Barnes returns to a franchise where he was once beloved as a member of the "We Believe" Warriors team that upset the No. 1-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, but he'll definitely have his work cut out for him trying to fill in for Durant.

You can be guaranteed this team will have enough attitude between him and Draymond Green, but what can be expected of Barnes specifically?

During his 14-year career, Barnes has played for 10 different NBA franchises, including all four California teams. He's compiled career averages of 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game during that time, and the Warriors will rely on him to supply gritty defense, rebounding, toughness and, hopefully, some respectable three-point shooting.

Barnes is only a career 33.5 percent shooter from downtown and was shooting 32.7 percent from deep this season in Sacramento. But the last time he played with a winning team — the Los Angeles Clippers just two years ago — he capitalized on the open looks he got, converting 36.2 percent of his attempts from three-point range.

Barnes obviously isn't going to replace Kevin Durant's scoring (25.3 PPG), his three-point efficiency (37.3 percent) or his defensive versatility, but if Steve Kerr wants to maintain Andre Iguodala's minutes and keep him as a sixth man, Barnes very well could be called upon as the team's new starting small forward.

February 23, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots the basketball against Los Angeles Clippers guard Raymond Felton (2) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Clippers 123-113. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

3. Curry Carrying The Scoring Load

With both Curry and KD capable of joining free agency this summer, it's too soon to wonder or worry about what this injury might mean for the Dubs, especially if they fall short of winning a title with four top-20 players on their roster.

However, one thing we do know is that with a health Kevin Durant, Curry hasn't needed to do as much. When the two-time MVP went 0-for-11 against the Philadelphia 76ers two games ago, the Warriors still won comfortably by double digits. Even when he went 2-for-9 from deep against the Wizards and Durant left the game in the first quarter, the Dubs still had a chance to beat a very good Washington team.

Now that KD is sidelined for the next month, this will be a good opportunity for Curry to rediscover his MVP-caliber scoring touch and come through for the league's top-ranked offense.

This is not to say Curry has been bad or a disappointment this year by any stretch. We've seen him light up the scoreboard as an instant supernova PLENTY of times this season, even with Durant on the court.

But with Curry's numbers dipping to 24.8 points per game on .466/.404/.916 shooting splits, it's no secret he's taken a step back from the 30.1 points per game and .504/.454/.908 shooting splits he hoisted last year in his second MVP season.

KD's absence is a potential roadblock to this team's title aspirations, but it could also be a chance for Curry to re-establish himself as the team's leading scorer/heat check. We've already seen so many times where the Warriors come out flat and don't play their best, but a Steph Curry supernova winds up serving as the ultimate trump card.

If he can rediscover that otherworldly efficiency and bust out of this recent shooting slump, the Dubs may be better off for it down the road when they do get Durant back.

January 12, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35), guard Stephen Curry (30), and guard Klay Thompson (11) during the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Pistons 127-107. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

2. Maintaining The No. 1 Seed

Before Durant's injury, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Warriors would lock up the No. 1 overall seed for the playoffs and enjoy home-court advantage throughout the entire postseason. This is the part where the San Antonio Spurs constantly lurking in the shadows comes into play.

Though the Spurs (45-13) are still four games back in the standings, they're only three games behind in the loss column. Kawhi Leonard is playing like an leading MVP candidate and San Antonio still has two more cracks at Golden State in head-to-head matchups, both of which are at home at the AT&T Center.

Though the Dubs are still eight games ahead of Cleveland in the standings (for those concerned about losing home-court advantage in a potential Finals rematch), it's hard to say how Kevin Durant's absence will impact this Warriors team in the race for supremacy in the West.

No one will feel sorry for a Golden State squad that still has Curry, Klay and Draymond Green in its starting lineup, but they don't have Harrison Barnes on the wing anymore, nor do they have Andrew Bogut at center. They've drastically downgraded at both positions with KD out and Zaza Pachulia entering the fold, and the next few weeks will be a test for this team's original Big Three, its bench and its head coach.

If the Warriors can maintain that top record in the West for the next month, split the San Antonio matchups and enter the playoffs with home-court advantage, a returning Durant could very well be enough for a return to the Finals and another championship.

Losing that No. 1 seed and giving an already dangerous Spurs team more momentum, however, would be dangerous with or without a returning KD.

Feb 10, 2017; Memphis, TN, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) dribbles in the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Golden State defeated Memphis 122-107. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

1. Draymond, Draymond And More Draymond

The Warriors bench will need to step up. Matt Barnes will need to fill his role and exceed expectations. Andre Iguodala may have to play more. Curry will have to return to 2015-16 form, Klay Thompson will need to step up, the Dubs have to make it through the upcoming stretch where they play five of their next six games on the road, the list goes on and on.

That list, however, starts and ends with the team's lead firecracker and human Swiss Army Knife, Draymond Green.

At this point, Green is as well known for his on-court antics, referee tirades, flailing limbs and incessant trash talk as he is for his playmaking, his unbelievably versatile defense and his importance to a Warriors team that won a championship in 2015 and won 73 games in 2016.

However, there's no question that Durant's arrival has downplayed his two-way importance, at least in the eyes of the casual fan. After all, KD has been playing at a level deserving of NBA All-Defensive recognition, and his 4.8 assists per game have solidified his status as one of the team's most important secondary playmakers.

Taking a look at Draymond Green's numbers in 2015-16 compared to this season, it's easy to see KD's arrival has somewhat lessened his impact, at least in the stats column:

However, even though Green's scoring, rebounding and shooting numbers are all down, he's as effective as ever as the team's leading assist man, his steals are a career high and he's still altering shots as the NBA's most undersized rim protector.

With Durant out, Draymond's scoring and shooting efficiency will need to return, and there will be more pressure on him to secure rebounds since KD was the team's leading rebounder at 8.2 per game.

But with Durant out, Green will get his chance to reassert himself as a premiere playmaker and defender. He was already a frontrunner for the Defensive Player of the Year Award, but if he can keep the league's second-ranked defense in the top five without its leading shot-blocker, he should lock that award up and keep the Warriors strong over the next month.

Kevin Durant's absence will affect the Golden State Warriors in a ton of different ways, but the key to making sure this ship continues to sail smoothly is Draymond Green putting his money where his mouth is.

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