Kevin Durant still isn’t ready to return for the Golden State Warriors as he works back from a strained right calf he suffered during the Western Conference semifinals.

Durant didn’t practice with the Warriors on Tuesday leading into Game 3 of the NBA Finals, and he has yet to get on the court for a structured session with the two-time defending champions since getting injured on May 8. Durant was set to some work on the court later Tuesday at the practice facility.

At age 33, Kyle Lowry may not even be a below-average NBA point guard if not for his willingness to turn every other possession into a car crash. He invites those who outweigh him by 40 pounds into one violent collision after another. When they refuse to take the bait, he brings the action to them, shoving and thwacking with artful sidewinders that give the Toronto Raptors a subtle advantage in moments that ultimately separate victory from defeat. Whether he’s using his body as a brick wall or selling it out, Lowry turns physical sacrifice into a form of art.

The Golden State Warriors are certainly not the healthiest group and the team is still dealing with a host of injuries heading into Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

On Tuesday, head coach Steve Kerr confirmed that star forward Kevin Durant will miss Game 3 as he works his way back from a calf injury. In addition, Kerr revealed that Klay Thompson remains questionable with a mild hamstring strain and forward Andre Iguodala will play in Game 3.

The Toronto Raptors entered halftime with a five-point lead, in position to take a commanding 2-0 series lead over Golden State in their first-ever NBA Finals. But the Warriors saved their season with a trademark third-quarter surge, starting the second half on an 18-0 run. It turned the tide in a momentum-shifting 109-104 victory that sends the reigning champions back home for Games 3 and 4, two games that could decide the series if the Warriors maintain control of the matchup.

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal said if he were in a general manager position for his former team he'd be going out of his way to haul in coveted free agents.

O'Neal said he'd have a detailed three-phase plan to help fix the Los Angeles Lakers, and he would bluntly put out his marketing pitch to players like Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson.

If the Warriors are as inevitable as they feel, there’s one silver lining even some of the team’s biggest detractors can get behind: DeMarcus Cousins, NBA champion.

While yet another title for Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant, would feel hollow, Cousins’ first would be remarkable. His return from two major injuries has been a joy to watch.

New Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel already confirmed that the team had hired Jason Kidd as an assistant coach, despite the organization not announcing it themselves yet. And it appears that Kidd will be well-compensated for joining on.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Lakers are opening up their pocket books to bring on Kidd, further confirming just how much the front office wanted him on staff:

KAWHI LEONARD will leave the Toronto Raptors because he wants to return home to Los Angeles, to either the Lakers of LA Clippers.

It's just under a month until some of the league's best players will become free agents.

And Leonard will be one of the biggest stars attracting interest from around the league.