The Phoenix Suns’ chances to make it to the postseason just took a massive blow. On Sunday night, the Suns were hosting a 2nd seeded Houston Rockets team in a crucial game for their play-in aspirations. However, things did not go the way Kevin Durant and Co. had hoped. In fact, Houston tore the Suns apart, handing them an embarrassing 109-148 defeat in front of their home crowd. If this was not enough disappointment for the Suns, their night turned from bad to worse in the early stages of the third quarter. Why? Well, their franchise player, Kevin Durant, hopped out of the court just after halftime.

The Phoenix star, unfortunately, rolled his ankle after an awkward landing, where he stepped on Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr.’s foot. As the Slim Reaper went down, he looked in immense pain and limped off the court. Durant did not return for the fourth and final quarter of the game giving the Suns’ faithful another reason to worry. After the embarrassing loss, Phoenix’s HC Mike Budenholzer provided a concerning update. “We’ll get an MRI on it tomorrow. He’ll stay back (for the road trip), and we’ll assess.” Budenholzer stated. Since then, the Suns fans have collectively held their breath, hoping for the best. So, what’s the update?

When will Kevin Durant return after suffering an ankle injury?

While everyone hoped that the injury wasn’t as bad as it seemed, ESPN’s Shams Charania has dropped a massive update on KD’s injury. “Phoenix Suns All-Star Kevin Durant is expected to miss at least one week through team’s three-game road trip with a left ankle sprain, sources tell ESPN. Suns are 1.5 games out of Play-In with the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA.” Charania wrote on X. That’s devastating news for the Phoenix Suns! With just seven games remaining in the regular season and the Suns tailing just outside the play-in spot, this might be a final blow to their postseason dreams. This injury to Kevin Durant couldn’t have come at a worse time.

According to Charania’s timeline, the veteran is set to miss the entire road trip, which is very concerning. That’s because the Suns are on a crucial three-game road trip where they’ll face Milwaukee, Boston, and New York. Looking at the teams Phoenix are going to face without KD, they’re chances significantly decrease. Needless to say, Durant has been the heartbeat of this team, even during this disappointing season for the franchise. The 36-year-old has been averaging 26.6 points, six rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. While his stats speak volumes! KD brings a lot more to the table for his team. He’s a leader, and without him, they are nowhere near their best.

In fact, the Suns have struggled big time without Durant on the floor, as they hold a terrible 2-11 record with him this season. This means Phoenix will have a tough time competing against some of the league’s best teams this season. Moreover, three games might just decide the fate for the Suns, who are 1.5 games behind the Sacramento Kings. The Kings hold the 10th and final post-season record with a 36-38 record, followed by the Suns, who have a 35-40 record. With just seven games remaining, including a season finale against the Kings, the hopes of staying in the play-in race seem to fade away for Phoenix.

Nonetheless, not all hope is lost because if Devin Booker and Bradley Beal manage to put the team on their shoulders, they might stay afloat until Kevin Durant’s return. However, that’s highly unlikely, given they haven’t been able to pull that off throughout the season. Well, as frustrating as this injury to KD is, Phoenix will have to navigate through this tough schedule without him. Whether or not they are able to keep their postseason dreams alive will become clear once this without KD is all set and done.