Warriors' Durant vows to return on Thursday night
Kevin Durant missed his sixth straight game Tuesday night with rib soreness, but the Golden State Warriors forward was adamant he'll be ready for Thursday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Head coach Steve Kerr said that Durant would "probably" play vs. the Bucks, but Durant told ESPN before Tuesday's tipoff, "You can tell them I'm playing Thursday."
Durant, in 60 games this season, is averaging 26.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists this season.
The Warriors, already missing injured stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, also played Tuesday night without Draymond Green, who is battling flu-like symptoms.
The Warriors fell 92-81 to the Indiana Pacers without their star quartet.
Green, who missed his third consecutive game -- the previous two with a pelvic contusion -- had been expected to play after practicing the day before.
The 28-year-old, three-time All-Star forward is averaging 11.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game this season.
The Warriors are challenged to patch together a lineup resembling the heavy playoff favorites that they are. Curry will likely be out through the first round of the playoffs with a sprained left MCL. Thompson has also missed the past six games since suffering a fractured right thumb on March 11 against Minnesota, though the team reportedly expects his return for the postseason.
Golden State is 3-6 in its past nine games after Tuesday's loss.
The Warriors (54-20) are in second place in the Western Conference, 6.5 games behind the Houston Rockets, but eight games ahead of the third-place Portland Trail Blazers.
--Field Level Media
