Suns' Kevin Durant Out vs. Stephen Curry, Warriors With Ankle Injury

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant won't play on Tuesday against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Durant is listed as out due to an ankle injury.

The Suns announced on Monday that Bradley Beal would play against the Warriors in his first game since Nov. 12. This was supposed to set up the first time Phoenix's trio of Beal, Durant and Devin Booker were on the floor together all season.

Instead, Durant's absence will let the anticipation build for at least one more game. He sat out their previous game on Friday against the Sacramento Kings. The 13-time All-Star originally injured his ankle in the fourth quarter of the in-season tournament quarterfinal game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 5.

Durant hasn't slowed down whatsoever after entering the league in 2007, averaging 31.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game in 2023-24. The 35-year-old has continued a sensational career that includes 13 All-Star nods, four scoring titles and two NBA championships.

KD played the first 15 games of the 2023-24 campaign, but he missed the Suns' 110-89 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, Nov. 24 with right foot soreness.

With Beal also out, the onus was on Devin Booker to carry the offensive load. That wasn't a problem for the three-time All-Star as he scored 40 points on 15-of-21 shooting.

Without Durant, the Suns turned to Keita Bates-Diop in the starting lineup. Forwards Nassir Little and Chimezie Metu were the top forwards off the bench.

Obviously, the Suns need Durant on the court as much as possible. He helps give the Suns a chance at their first championship alongside fellow stars in Booker and Beal. Bates-Diop will likely be back in the starting five against the Warriors.