Kerr: No return timeline for Durant, Cousins
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr wants everyone to temper expectations regarding the returns of Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins.
Durant will miss Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers with a calf strain and will be re-evaluated on Thursday, making a Game 2 appearance unlikely. Kerr is choosing to take the All-Star forward's recovery day-by-day without a definitive timeline.
"Everyone needs to slow down a little bit on the Kevin stuff," Kerr said following Monday's practice, according to ESPN's Nick Friedell. "He hasn't even stepped on the floor yet. We've tried to remain somewhat vague because the injury is open-ended in terms of how much time he will need to recover.
"I think in doing so, people have got the idea that he is going to come back and be Willis Reed or something. He hasn't even stepped on the floor yet. He still has pain. So there's some time ahead of him on the rehab process. So we'll have a more detailed update on Thursday."
Cousins, meanwhile, has been sidelined since April 15 with a partially torn left quadriceps. Kerr admitted to reporters that the 28-year-old center could sit out the entire series but couldn't give a firm verdict.
"I guess," Kerr said. "Now that will be the headline. We sort of evaluate week-to-week. If a guy hasn't seen any live action the day before the first game of a series, it's tough to see that turning around quickly. For both guys, it's not like anything is imminent."
Golden State opens its fifth consecutive conference finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday night.