Game 1 of the NBA Finals is Thursday in Toronto between the Raptors and Warriors. Golden State is looking to further add to their dynasty with a third consecutive championship and fourth in five years in what is their fifth consecutive NBA Finals appearance.
However, the Warriors enter these Finals with some significant injuries, enough to make Golden State a slight underdog at many sportsbooks for Game 1 north of the border. Here is the latest on the notable injuries Golden State is dealing with:
Kevin Durant
The back-to-back NBA Finals MVP has been officially ruled out of Game 1 of the NBA Finals by head coach Steve Kerr with a strained right calf. Durant suffered the injury in Game 5 of the Warriors second round series against the Houston Rockets. Golden State has not lost a game since the injury, leading many to believe the Warriors can win these Finals without one of the game's best players anyway.
Kerr would did not rule Durant out beyond Game 1.
"This is where the fact that there's a lot of days in between games during the Finals helps us, so we'll see," Kerr told the media at Monday's practice.
Andre Iguodala
Iguodala left Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals with calf tightness. The former NBA Finals MVP also missed Game 4 and didn't practice on Friday. The 35 year-old three-time NBA Champion returned to practice on Saturday and met with the media following practice. He was asked how he was feeling.
"I'm old," Iguodala replied. "You can look young and be old and you can be young and look old."
Iguodala continued and hinted that he may retire soon. "I'm about to be done playing anyway," Iguodala said.
DeMarcus Cousins
Cousins (torn left quad) is listed as questionable for Game 1. He injured it in Game 2 of the Warriors first-round series against the Clippers.
The initial thought was Cousins would miss the rest of the postseason, but it's now possible he returns against the Raptors.
"If this was the regular season, this would be simple: Put him back in the starting lineup, and give him his minutes and let him work his way back in and find his rhythm. It'd be an easy one," Kerr said. "But we're going into Game 1 of the Finals."