Durant Has More "Soreness" In Foot, Won't Play Friday

By Randy Renner

Thunder superstar Kevin Durant is experiencing more soreness in his surgically repaired (?) right foot and did not practice with his teammates Thursday. Durant also was not seen working on the side during Wednesday's shootaround nor during warmups at Chesapeake Energy Arena before the Celtics game.

Those workouts had become common and Durant had been practicing lately too, that's why his return had been anticipated by some on Wednesday and by most for Friday.

Then Durant was held out of Wednesday's game and now has already been ruled out for Friday's too.

Head coach Scott Brooks  refused to classify the news about as a setback, instead calling it the normal "peaks and valleys" of the rehab process.

"You just have to adjust accordingly," Brooks continued. "That's why he was off today and he is definitely not playing (Friday) that's all part of the process of his rehab."

Last Wednesday Brooks told reporters he anticipated Durant would return to game action "in a week or two," it looks like now that timeline is being pushed toward and back end of the projection and may even have to be changed all together.

"We don't know that yet but with all of our players' injuries we will always take the best interests of the players and always have a cautious approach."

When Durant had his second surgery on the foot word was his original injury, the Jones fracture, was healing properly. The second surgery was done to change out a screw that had been causing some irritation and pain. A screw with a different design was re-inserted and it was hoped that would alleviate the problem.

For a while it did, Durant told reporters several days ago that the pain and discomfort was gone and he could be seen noticeably stepping up the intensity of his workouts.

Now the pain has returned and with it considerable uncertainty not about when Durant will return to the Thunder lineup this season but if he will return.

Kanter Update

Thunder center Enes Kanter also missed Thursday's practice session with a sprained left ankle and a bruised right forearm. Brooks said if the Thunder had a game tonight Kanter would not be able to play, "but we'll see how he feels tomorrow."

Kanter was not able to walk without assistance in the lockerroom after Wednesday's win over Boston but he was walking by himself at the practice though with a pronounced limp.

Kanter is probably very doubtful for Friday's game with Atlanta but at least x-rays and an MRI showed no breaks or structural damage with the ankle or the arm.