NBA NEWS

Thunders’ Durant expects to be OK injuring ankle

The Sports Xchange

December 19, 2014 at 1:43 am.

Durant had a 30-point first half going before he charged into Warriors backup center Marreese Speights on a drive to the hoop with 2.4 seconds remaining in the second period. Durant's right foot landed on Speights' foot in the collision, causing Durant's ankle to roll. Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. — Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant missed the second half of Thursday’s 114-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors with a sprained right ankle, but insisted afterward it’s nothing serious.

“I wanted to play, but we want to be cautious,” Durant said after the game.

X-rays taken at halftime were negative.

“They (the Thunder medical staff) had to convince me not to play,” Durant assured.

Durant had a 30-point first half going before he charged into Warriors backup center Marreese Speights on a drive to the hoop with 2.4 seconds remaining in the second period. Durant’s right foot landed on Speights’ foot in the collision, causing Durant’s ankle to roll.

After more than a minute on the floor, Durant was helped to the bench, then limped on his own power to the locker room for halftime.

Early indication is the injury is not related to the fractured right foot Durant sustained during the offseason. He was playing in his ninth game since making his season debut on Dec. 2.

“I was a little nervous,” Durant said. “But when I got up and started walking, it felt good.”

Durant would not rule himself out of Friday’s game in Los Angeles against the Lakers.

“We’ll take it a day at a time,” he said. “We’ll see (Friday) what it’s like.”