It seems like All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook will have to step up big time for the Oklahoma City Thunder as former Most Valuable Player (MVP) forward Kevin Durant is likely to miss time with a sprained right big toe.
Durant already missed Monday's 116–104 loss to the Sacramento Kings because of the injury and is expected to be out when the Thunder take on the Memphis Grizzlies today, Wednesday.
ESPN reported that Durant suffered the injury in Saturday's 109–90 victory over the Charlotte Hornets when he stepped on an opponent's foot.
The report added that the 27-year-old "woke up sore" Sunday, with Oklahoma City not having a timetable for his return.
Any injury to Durant's toe or foot is always a major scare for the Thunder since last season, he was limited to only 27 regular season games because of a Jones fracture that needed a number of surgeries to repair.
Durant is the Thunder's leading scorer, averaging 26.6 points a game, together with 7.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 35.8 minutes of action per outing.
"It definitely helped having KD out," Kings star big man DeMarcus Cousins said about Durant's absence in Monday's game, according to ESPN.
"That's a big threat that they didn't have tonight. It made our jobs a little bit easier on defense. I think we were able to key in on Russ tonight and make other guys shoot, and we won the game," Cousins added.
As Durant is likely to sit out versus Memphis, Westbrook will have to shoulder the offensive load for the Thunder.
No other small forward on Oklahoma City's roster is capable of producing the same numbers as Durant or is scoring double-digits per game.
The only other active small forward for the Thunder is Kyle Singler who is averaging only 2.2 points per game.
Following the home stand against the Grizzlies today, the Thunder will go on a three-game Western Conference road trip that will begin versus the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center this Friday.
