Kevin Durant, Warriors Reportedly Targeting Return from Knee Injury vs. Pelicans

The Golden State Warriors are planning to have Kevin Durant back for Saturday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans, ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported Monday.

Durant hasn't played since suffering a sprained left MCL in late February.

Should the eight-time All-Star come back Saturday night, he'll have just three games to prepare for the postseason.

Durant has slowly been working to get himself back in game shape. ESPN.com's Chris Haynes showed him practicing before Golden State's 139-115 win over the Washington Wizards on Sunday:

There's no question the Warriors are a better team when Durant is on the court. According to NBA.com, the team has a 15.2 net rating per 100 possessions with Durant compared to an 8.4 net rating without him.

However, Durant's absence has been a blessing in the sense it forced Stephen Curry to play a bigger role.

In 59 games prior to Durant's injury, Curry was averaging 24.8 points on 46.6 percent shooting, including 40.4 percent from three-point range. In his last 16 games, Curry is scoring 26.5 points a night, and his field-goal and three-point percentages have improved slightly to 46.8 and 40.6 percent, respectively.

Assuming Durant is back to 100 percent in time for the playoffs, the Warriors will be considered the NBA title favorites, especially with Curry back to his old self.