Durant to make Warriors return tonight

OAKLAND, California (AP): Kevin Durant had his moments of feeling down, unable to play the sport he loves while watching his teammates initially struggle then, later, shine without him.

Durant returned to practice yesterday and experienced no issues with his left knee, so he is set to play tonight against New Orleans in his return from injury after more than a month on the sidelines .

"I had to be patient," he said. "It definitely tests your patience. It's about perseverance at the end of the day. Freak injury, freak accident. I could have hung my head over it but I stayed positive and knew at some point I'd get better. The help of the training staff, they did an unbelievable job keeping me sane for these past five weeks. A few days I went over the deep end but that's just a part of it. But they did a great job of every single day just chipping away."

Durant has been sidelined since he sprained the MCL in his knee and suffered a tibia bone bruise Feb. 28 at Washington but Golden State hoped all along to have KD back before the regular season ended -- and now the Warriors are riding a 13-game winning streak and have secured the Western Conference's No. 1 seed.

Coach Steve Kerr said Durant, who scrimmaged in a 5-on-5 situation, has no minute restrictions because his knee ligament is fully healed. He went right at Steve Nash in some individual work after practice ended.