Kevin Durant's homecoming was cut short by a strained hamstring on Tuesday evening. Durant had 12 points and nine rebounds, before he drove to the basket with less than one minute left in the second quarter. He was bumped in midair by Kris Humphries, as the refs called a foul. Durant landed awkwardly, took a few steps, and grabbed his left hamstring. He sank both free throws and finished out the half, but had the "annoyed because I got injured again" look on his face.
As the Oklahoma City Thunder returned from halftime, they advised the media that Kevin Durant was unlikely to return to the game. Russell Westbrook, Dion Waiters, and Serge Ibaka maintained the lead for the Thunder as they cruised by the Washington Wizards, 125-101.
After the game, Durant said, "After that foul, I came down a little awkward and landed on it a little harder than I wanted to, and it pulled." The Thunder stated they would MRI the injury the next day and decide on a course of action from there.
The MRI confirmed what the Thunder had originally thought. Durant suffered a left hamstring strain. He would be re-evaluated in 7 to 10 days. In that time span, the Thunder plays five games (vs. Philadelphia, vs. Boston, at Memphis, vs. New Orleans, and vs. New York). The Thunder catch a bit of a break as those are five games Westbrook and the supporting cast are capable of winning without Durant.
On the season, Durant is averaging 28.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and nearly 45 percent from three-point territory. He played in only 27 games last season due to a broken left foot. While the injury may conjure up memories from last season, Durant took a more positive approach on it. "It's unfortunate, but it's a part of the game," Durant said. "Can't hang my head. Just got to get back. I've been here before. It's just a small injury, but I've been here before. I ain't going to quit. I'm not going to give up. I'm not going to be upset. It's just a part of the game."