Is Kevin Durant playing tonight against LA Clippers? | February 16, 2023 | 2022-23 NBA Season

The last time fans saw Kevin Durant play was back on January 8 when he was still playing for the Brooklyn Nets. Now a part of the Phoenix Suns after he was traded last Tuesday, Arizona fans are eagerly anticipating Durant's Suns debut. However, it appears that everyone will have to wait a bit longer, as KD is still dealing with a right MCL sprain.

While some are getting impatient with his debut, multiple sources report that Kevin Durant will return to the court after the All-Star break. That means he's unlikely to play against the Clippers on Thursday (February 16) night.

That isn't a bad thing, as the Suns are sitting comfortably as the fourth seed in the Western Conference. So Durant taking his time to recover shouldn't be a problem. In fact, that might benefit Phoenix in the long run.

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Can Kevin Durant carry Phoenix Suns to first NBA title?

Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns have established themselves as legitimate title contenders over the last few seasons. In 2021, the Suns made their first appearance in the NBA Finals since 1993. Phoenix's season ended in defeat after a heartbreaking game six loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Last season, despite not making a return trip to the Finals, they started as one of the favorites to win.

This season has been quite interesting. Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker and Chris Paul were determined to give it another go, but the team's chemistry prevented them from doing so in the first half of the season. The Suns, who entered the 2022–23 season as one of the top seeds in the West, quickly found themselves slipping down the rankings. Several fans started giving up on the team.

The result was that the organization collapsed. Deandre Ayton wanted out, and Chris Paul and Devin Booker had trouble staying healthy the entire year. It was a total mess, and thing seemed unfixable. Nevertheless, as Phoenix started to win games again, things started to change. To add the cherry on top, they've acquired a new superstar in Kevin Durant.

While waiting for Durant to make his debut, the are fourth with a 32-27 record. Before getting injured, Durant was averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game. Fans would expect nothing less than the title, with Durant joining the dangerous Phoenix trifecta.