Kevin Durant’s Injury, Absence Moving Odds for Raptors-Warriors Game 4

Kevin Durant has not played since Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Houston Rockets on May 8.

And with Golden State trailing Toronto 2-1 in the NBA Finals, the Warriors could certainly use him in Game 4 to help the team even the series.

Unfortunately for Steve Kerr and Co., KD is not expected to make his return Friday night, according to the latest reports.

As for the Game 4 line, oddsmakers initially opened the Warriors as 4.5-point favorites over the Raptors, yet an influx of big bets pushed that number to -5.5, likely in anticipation of Klay Thompson's return.

Shortly after news of Durant's status broke, the line dipped back down to Golden State -5 at a handful of sportsbooks across the market.

According to The Action Network's NBA public betting data, bettors are split as 53% of tickets wagered on the spread have landed on Toronto for Game 4.

However, 60% of the money is on Golden State at the time of writing, down from 81% immediately before the announcement.

It'll now be interesting to monitor how bettors and the market react to the news. Will Toronto continue earning more of the spread action? Or do bettors think Durant's status is already baked into the current number?

Be sure to download The Action Network's mobile app to track real-time line moves and betting percentage updates for Game 4 of the NBA Finals.