The update on Kevin Durant's injury isn't great news for Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors. Durant was in Tuesday's game against the Washington Wizards, however he exited the game very early in the first quarter. On Wednesday, NBA.com announced that Durant is injured and is out for at least four weeks following an MRI: "Following reviews of the MRI...it has been determined that Durant suffered a Grade Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) sprain and a tibial bone bruise. He will be out of action indefinitely and will be re-evaluated in four (4) weeks" (March 1st).

As a key member of the betting favorites to win the NBA championship, the news of the injury has affected the antepost market for the NBA championship.

The Warriors remain favorites

The Golden State Warriors remain shorter-than-even betting favorites to win the NBA title this season. However, bet365 is one sportbook that has brought their odds back closer to even. That firm now make the Warriors 2 to 3 favorites (-150) to win the NBA title this upcoming spring.

The playoffs will not start until April so if Durant does return in the minimum time frame of four weeks, then it's possible that this injury has no effect on the Golden State Warriors' current NBA season. After all, they have a four-game lead in the Western Conference, they should be able to nurse that over the next month and a half, and they remain likely for the top seed in the NBA playoffs.

If Golden State are able to hold off the San Antonio Spurs for the top spot and then get Durant back in early April they would effectively be intact for the playoffs.

MCL injury time frames vary

However, there "is no timetable for (Durant's) return" (NBA.com/March 1st) and so the four-week minimum has to be taken as just that -- a minimum.

MCL sprains are certainly inconsistent with regard to how long they take a player out of action for. One of the more famous such injuries in modern times came with the Montreal Canadiens' goaltender Carey Price in 2015/16. Price suffered an MCL sprain in November of 2015 and missed the balance of the NHL season, meaning he missed about five months of playing time.

Other MCL sprains only take weeks to heal.

But any kind of uncertainty with a key player on a top team will shake up the betting odds. The Cleveland Cavaliers are now 3 to 1 to defend their title (bet365) while the Spurs are now 7 to 1 in the antepost (bet365). If the Spurs are able to overcome the deficit they face in the standings then their odds will surely shorten. On that note, Golden State lost on Tuesday to Washington without Durant and perhaps that's a sign of things to come.
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