3 things Durant's injury could mean for the NBA
The Golden State Warriors delivered some back-breaking news Wednesday when they announced Kevin Durant would be sidelined indefinitely with a Grade 2 MCL sprain and a bone bruise.
While Durant's injury will clearly have considerable ramifications on the Warriors' season, it could also have a great effect on the rest of the NBA.
Here are three things that could happen as a result of Durant's injury:
The MVP turns into a two-man race
(Photo courtesy: USA TODAY Sports)
Durant wasn't considered the MVP favorite prior to his injury, but he was in the conversation.
With the 28-year-old's chances of capturing his second MVP all but done, the race for this year's award has officially turned into a two-man affair between a pair of Durant's former teammates.
While Russell Westbrook has stolen the majority of the headlines with his triple-double assault, James Harden has arguably had the better season, leading the Houston Rockets near the top of the Western Conference standings with his incredible offensive play.
Someone else could still sneak into the conversation during the final quarter of the season, but for now, the award belongs to either Harden or Westbrook.
The Spurs capture home court
(Photo courtesy: Reuters)
Golden State possesses one of the league's most lethal rosters even without Durant, but they could still have difficulty holding off the Spurs.
San Antonio sits just four games behind the Warriors, and faces Golden State at home twice in the coming weeks. Should the Spurs win both those contests, the Warriors could struggle to hold off a San Antonio team that plays just eight road games in their final 24 contests.
If the Spurs manage to capture the No. 1 seed, the Warriors will have a much more difficult path to the finals, as they would likely end up playing the Thunder, Rockets, and Spurs in what are likely to be three hard-fought series.
Paul George stays in Indiana
(Photo courtesy: USA TODAY Sports)
While the Warriors didn't rule out the possibility of Durant returning early, there's a chance the 6-foot-9 forward misses the remainder of the regular season.
If that's the case, voters may choose to leave Durant off this year's All-NBA team, making George the most likely candidate to take his spot. While this may not seem like a huge deal, it could have major implications on George's future in Indiana.
If the 26-year-old makes one of the three All-NBA teams this season, he'll be eligible to sign a $200-million-plus extension with Indiana this summer - far more than any other team could offer him when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2018.
George is reportedly "hell-bent" on joining his hometown Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, but all that could change if the Pacers are able to offer him the super-max contract extension in July.