Is Kevin Durant playing tonight against New Orleans Pelicans? Latest on 2x NBA champion's status (April 1)

Kevin Durant will play on Monday night against the New Orleans Pelicans. Durant isn't on the Phoenix Suns' injury report. He has been healthy since his last absence, which came on Jan. 5. Durant has missed only seven games this season. He has made 67 appearances, the most since his final season with the Golden State Warriors.

Durant has averaged 27.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists on 53/43/85 splits, keeping the team afloat amid injury-riddled stretches for co-stars Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, who have missed a combined 43 games.

The Suns are in contention for a top-six finish with eight games left, boasting a 43-31 record.

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What happened to Kevin Durant?

Durant's most recent absence was because of a hamstring injury, missing four games. However, Durant has been healthy since his return on Jan. 7, playing 38 consecutive games, with the Suns going 24-14. They are 5-2 without Durant this year.

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Kevin Durant Stats vs. New Orleans Pelicans

Kevin Durant has played 42 games against the New Orleans Pelicans, averaging 26.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg and 4.1 apg, winning 28.

The two-time NBA champion's best scoring performance against the Pelicans was on Feb. 17, 2009, when he tallied 47 points on 59.3% shooting in a 100-98 loss for the OKC Thunder.

When the Suns last met the Pelicans on Jan. 19, Durant scored 26 points while adding five rebounds, two steals and two blocks, shooting 11-of-19 in a 123-109 blowout win.

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Kevin Durant and Suns have a solid opportunity to get an upper hand in top-six race

Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns are fighting for a top-six spot in the Western Conference. The New Orleans Pelicans are one of the teams rivaling Phoenix in that race. They are sixth with a 45-29 record, two games ahead of the Suns, eighth with a 43-31 record.

The Suns will win the season series with a favorable outcome on Monday. They enter the contest as favorites, with Brandon Ingram sidelined, limiting the Pelicans' offense.

The ball is in the Suns' court again. However, they have blown situations like these recently, losing to Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks, the lowly San Antonio Spurs and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-less OKC Thunder.

Those losses would be crucial in their prospects of avoiding the play-in tournament, and they wouldn't want to pile on their misery with another upset.