Kevin Durant Shines in Suns Debut, Return From MCL Sprain

Update: Durant scored 23 points on 10-15 shooting in 27 minutes against the Hornets in his first game as a Sun. He also added 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocked shots in the 105-91 victory. Phoenix next plays on Friday against the Bulls in Chicago.

Suns' star scoring small forward Kevin Durant is scheduled to make his Phoenix debut on Wednesday night against the Hornets in Charlotte.

Durant, SIC score 76, has missed the last 19 games since he suffered a right MCL sprain on January 8th and his biggest challenge will be acclimating to the new environment, according to the Pro Basketball Docs.

Head coach Monty Williams intimated that Durant will initially return from his third career MCL sprain on an unspecified minutes restriction, although it will likely be shed quickly. 

The 34-year-old isolation maven missed 20 games with a left MCL sprain last season during the same period and he played in 35, 39, and 39.5 minutes in his first three games back.

The Suns, 33-29, are 3-3 since they swapped ironman Mikal Bridges and 3-and-D wing Cameron Johnson for Durant and T.J. Warren, 10-5 since Chris Paul returned from a hip issue on January 22nd. 

Durant averaged 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.2 steals-plus-blocks on a career-best 55.9% from the field and .673 true-shooting. 

Suns vs. Hornets, Kevin Durant Betting Odds

The Suns are heavy road favorites in Charlotte at -10 with the moneyline set at -510 on FanDuel Sportsbook.

The Hornets, 20-43, have won five games in a row but lost star guard LaMelo Ball for the season with a fractured right ankle and are on track to end with the second-best Draft lottery odds.