Kevin Durant suffers Grade 2 MCL sprain, tibial bone bruise

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Programming note: Log on to the CSN Bay Area Facebook page Wednesday morning at 10 a.m when Warriors analyst Kelenna Azubuike joins "Warriors Outsiders" Drew Shiller and Grant Liffmann to bring you the latest on the Kevin Durant injury.

Kevin Durant will be out a minimum of four weeks after sustaining a medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain and bone bruise in his left knee, the Warriors announced Wednesday morning.

The team’s leading scorer incurred the injury in the opening minute of the Warriors-Wizards game Tuesday night at Verizon Center in Washington.

The extent of the injury was revealed after the All-Star forward underwent an MRI late Tuesday night at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Though there is no turntable for his return, but Durant is scheduled for reevaluation in the final week of March.

The playoffs begin April 15.

Meanwhile, the Warriors have agreed to sign free agent forward Matt Barnes in hopes of filling some of the void left by Durant’s absence.

The injury occurred 57 seconds into the game, when Wizards center Marcin Gortat grabbed Warriors center Zaza Pachulia and flung him to the floor. As Pachulia stumbled backward, he fell into Durant’s left knee, which was stationary. Durant’s immediate response was to grab his knee and hop away.

Durant continued for another 36 seconds, before signaling to the bench that a timeout was needed. He left the game and did not return.

Durant is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 25.3 points per game. He also leads the team in rebounding at 8.2 per game and blocks at 1.64 per game. Durant’s 53.7-percent field goal shooting ranks 12th in the league, and second among the NBA’s top 40 scorers.  

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