NBA Finals: Warriors star Kevin Durant ruled out for Game 3 against Raptors

Nearly a month has passed since Kevin Durant took the floor for the Golden State Warriors and, in some respects, the reigning NBA champions haven't missed a beat. The Warriors finished off the Houston Rockets with Durant on the sideline, dismantled the Portland Trail Blazers without the former MVP, and even pulled off a Game 2 road win over the Toronto Raptors while short-handed. Still, nothing is assured at the highest levels of the sport and, on Tuesday, the unfortunate reality of yet another absence for Durant came to light. 

Head coach Steve Kerr broke the news that Durant will miss Game 3 in speaking to reporters and, while that did not come as a shock, it remains exceedingly noteworthy. Golden State enters Wednesday's contest as 5-point favorites over Toronto at home but, with Klay Thompson questionable to play and Kevon Looney already ruled out for the face-off, the sledding won't be easy for Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and company. 

There were encouraging comments from Kerr on Durant's future, however, with the assertion that Durant is "feeling well" and "improving" with an eye toward Game 4 and beyond. According to Kerr, the situation is "literally day to day" but, at the very least, Durant's Game 3 absence does not close the door on future appearances in the series. 

Even with Durant sidelined for at least the first three games and all of the uncertainty with the team's injury report, Golden State enters their first home game of the series as a substantial betting favorite to win the NBA title for the third straight season. Some of that optimism almost certainly stems from the presumed return of Durant, though, and that makes for high drama each and every time an update is released on his health.