When you see another “They forced KD to play” post

[NapoleonII]

Some warriors fans should be more upset with management over their handling of Durant here. Sure, Durant made the call to play, probably even to play so many minutes. But your coach and medical staff failed to protect him.

I mean, If a boxer is getting killed, it's up to his corner to stop the fight and save him, even if it makes the boxer angry. Athletes always want to go. It's their job to want to go. Managment is supposed to look out for the player's interest here, they have responsibilities. Frankly, it looks like some Warrior fans once again going with their hometown core, from players up to management, instead of getting the back of the guy who just sacrificed the rest of his top 10 all time career trying to get you a 3 peat.

Sorry for your loss, it's all of our loss (despite how much I've liked hating on Durant over the last 3 years, injury is where things get real).

You can get injured anytime you step on the floor. Unless you're a doctor who was working with KD, odds are you don't have half the information needed to really speak on if this was a failure by the doctors. Perhaps a medical board should be called in to see if there was malpractice here. If that is called for, I'm sure KD's team will address it. Until then this kind of speculation is either silly or down right offensive given you're effectively saying you know more than actual experts because you know...you can read news articles.

Yes, everything is 100% fine and this was totally coincidental. This take is even more naive and histrionic.

This isn't how the real world, or corporations work, or people even doing their jobs, work. There's such a thing as contributory negligence, comparative negligence, gross negligence , etc.

To let this just pass, when there's been so much lying and spin and smoke from the Warriors office, is tribalistic and ****.

Let's see an organization do this to you or your loved ones and see how much you trust corporations and people in power.

[Arp590]

- He should play
- He shouldn't have played
- He should sue the Warriors
- Lowry is dirty
- Toronto fans are classless

We can't have enough of this.

I actually havent seen Lowry is dirty yet. haha

Undercutting Looney I guess? He’s more clumsy than dirty. He flops a lot but in no way is he dirty imo.

It's called a box out, Lowry was already in position & Looney ran up on him to get the rebound.
Given the height difference, any box out by Lowry is going to be "undercutting" Looney.

[Arp590]

this was KD before the game, clearly being forced to playu

Read on Twitter

Durant's dance moves are way better when he is healthy, clearly didn't look right there, they should have never let him play.

[dontforget]

This thread and overall reaction to KD's injury is a complete embarrassment and is just another example of how low sports journalism has fallen. No integrity to actually research a topic, reach out to sources to see what's going on with teams doctors, KD doctors, coaching staff or even KD. Rather just a bunch of rabid fanboys yelling at the sky at seeing an elite talent go down. And this is by the general online media/bloggershpere. Obviously this kind of reaction is picked up by the general fan and now the idea KD was forced to play is spread like general fact without ANY factual evidence rather than circumstancial stories.

It's absolutely baffling how a guy who's about sign a $200M deal is going to just assume trust the team that he's planning on leaving. I mean c'mon, the average Joe gets a 2nd opinion on a broken wrist, and you really think a multi-millionaire future billionaire won't for a career altering injury?! Just nonsense. Absolutely pathetic.

Since everyone is going to make baseless assumption, how about this take. GSW Drs, KD doctors both said that KD's calf wasn't fully healed but was at a point where chance of significant injury was slim. Based on that KD chose to play and lo and behold the slim chance of significant injury happened. That's medical science for you. That's sports. Grow up.

[TheFinishSniper]

What is with this all GM's lately in NBA? First faking story about Heath Ledger and Kobe and now fake tears for player you forced, in way hiding from him extent of injury just to play because he was likely leaving a team?


Silver is making a mess of the league.

[ropjhk]

KD wasn't forced. Nobody can force a grown man to put himself at risk like that. KD made a decision to play, he wasn't forced. He may have been pressured to play, but not forced.

That said, it's the job of the medical team to protect the player from themselves. Players will take risks carelessly, medical professionals should not. Did Bob Myers "force" the medical staff to clear Durant prematurely? Why did they make the decision to put KD in the starting lineup without minutes restrictions even though he never went through a complete team practice (the practice on Sunday wasn't wasn't a full speed practice from what I gather)?

There's a common protocol that is usually followed when returning a player back to the court from a serious injury like what Durant had. You don't need KD's input on how he feels, you just follow the protocol whether he wants to or not. It's better to be safe than sorry and it looks like the medical staff has plenty to be sorry about right now.

[dhsilv2]

Ok, so let's look into this...
1. Jalen said that after the practice prior to game 4 I believe, not the practice yesterday.
2. So KD had an achilles injury but Warriors said it was a calf strain? There were multiple MRIs done, but the Warriors faked them or lied about the MRIs showed? KD and his agent don't have own doctors to review the MRIs? Myers lied about the fact that MULTIPLE Parties agreed that KD was ok to play?

I swear the talk about KD are reaching past the whole 911 and flat earth BS. There has been and never will be any legit reason for there to have been any lies in any of this. Doctors aren't going to risk their careers to lie when there's NOTHING to gain from it. Odds are against them doing it in the first place, but with ZERO to gain?

It's the same with the constant crap about refs risking their jobs and freedom to make a few bucks gambling. Sure it could happen, but to the levels fans act like it happens is preposterous.

Fine. Let’s pretend everything is A-ok in Warrior land.

Cousins “really wanted to come back” and sustained an additional injury due to overcompensating for his previous Achilles tear. Did he come back to early? Maybe, maybe not. There were reports he was “way ahead of schedule”, but let’s ignore he’s looked anything but way ahead of schedule after coming back. Big coincidence.

Looney broke his collarbone, “really wanted to come back”, sought a second opinion, was cleared, played through agonizing pain, and is now ruled out for the remainder of the series. Big coincidence.

Durant maybe had a calf strain, maybe had a partially torn Achilles. Who knows? Let’s ask Kerr about it. Oh, Kerr doesn’t know what’s going on. Weird. But hey, the team’s facing elimination and KD, “really wants to come back”...****...that same Achilles finished tearing. Big coincidence.

Bob Meyers offers an interview, and in tears, implored the public to “blame him” for what’s happened. Kind of weird a POBO would say these things unprovoked. But hey, Bob’s a nice guy. This is all big coincidence.

These are all big coincidences. Nothing to see here.

Injuries after a torn achillies aren't surprising or unusual. They're almost expected.

Loony came back with the understanding that he'd have to play through pain but the damage would not be long term. No reason to think that was wrong. He knew he could re-injure it and made that choice. Last I saw Loony still plans to play.

Durant to the best knowledge we had, strained his calf and any statement otherwise by a random internet board fan should be ignored. He clearly came back too soon...something countless players have done over the history of the NBA for the finals.

And of course Bob Meyers said to blame him, just like every person in authority has done ever. Nobody who works under me makes mistakes publicly, it's always 100% on me. Same thing here.

[dhsilv2]

Some warriors fans should be more upset with management over their handling of Durant here. Sure, Durant made the call to play, probably even to play so many minutes. But your coach and medical staff failed to protect him.

I mean, If a boxer is getting killed, it's up to his corner to stop the fight and save him, even if it makes the boxer angry. Athletes always want to go. It's their job to want to go. Managment is supposed to look out for the player's interest here, they have responsibilities. Frankly, it looks like some Warrior fans once again going with their hometown core, from players up to management, instead of getting the back of the guy who just sacrificed the rest of his top 10 all time career trying to get you a 3 peat.

Sorry for your loss, it's all of our loss (despite how much I've liked hating on Durant over the last 3 years, injury is where things get real).

You can get injured anytime you step on the floor. Unless you're a doctor who was working with KD, odds are you don't have half the information needed to really speak on if this was a failure by the doctors. Perhaps a medical board should be called in to see if there was malpractice here. If that is called for, I'm sure KD's team will address it. Until then this kind of speculation is either silly or down right offensive given you're effectively saying you know more than actual experts because you know...you can read news articles.

Yes, everything is 100% fine and this was totally coincidental. This take is even more naive and histrionic.

This isn't how the real world, or corporations work, or people even doing their jobs, work. There's such a thing as contributory negligence, comparative negligence, gross negligence , etc.

To let this just pass, when there's been so much lying and spin and smoke from the Warriors office, is tribalistic and ****.

Let's see an organization do this to you or your loved ones and see how much you trust corporations and people in power.

Trust and not thinking screaming about conspiracies are two very different things. We right now don't know anything of value and yet people are wildly speculating. Many are the same people claiming KD was faking injuries...

[infinite11285]

I swear the talk about KD are reaching past the whole 911 and flat earth BS. There has been and never will be any legit reason for there to have been any lies in any of this. Doctors aren't going to risk their careers to lie when there's NOTHING to gain from it. Odds are against them doing it in the first place, but with ZERO to gain?

It's the same with the constant crap about refs risking their jobs and freedom to make a few bucks gambling. Sure it could happen, but to the levels fans act like it happens is preposterous.

Fine. Let’s pretend everything is A-ok in Warrior land.

Cousins “really wanted to come back” and sustained an additional injury due to overcompensating for his previous Achilles tear. Did he come back to early? Maybe, maybe not. There were reports he was “way ahead of schedule”, but let’s ignore he’s looked anything but way ahead of schedule after coming back. Big coincidence.

Looney broke his collarbone, “really wanted to come back”, sought a second opinion, was cleared, played through agonizing pain, and is now ruled out for the remainder of the series. Big coincidence.

Durant maybe had a calf strain, maybe had a partially torn Achilles. Who knows? Let’s ask Kerr about it. Oh, Kerr doesn’t know what’s going on. Weird. But hey, the team’s facing elimination and KD, “really wants to come back”...****...that same Achilles finished tearing. Big coincidence.

Bob Meyers offers an interview, and in tears, implored the public to “blame him” for what’s happened. Kind of weird a POBO would say these things unprovoked. But hey, Bob’s a nice guy. This is all big coincidence.

These are all big coincidences. Nothing to see here.

Injuries after a torn achillies aren't surprising or unusual. They're almost expected.

Loony came back with the understanding that he'd have to play through pain but the damage would not be long term. No reason to think that was wrong. He knew he could re-injure it and made that choice. Last I saw Loony still plans to play.

Durant to the best knowledge we had, strained his calf and any statement otherwise by a random internet board fan should be ignored. He clearly came back too soon...something countless players have done over the history of the NBA for the finals.

And of course Bob Meyers said to blame him, just like every person in authority has done ever. Nobody who works under me makes mistakes publicly, it's always 100% on me. Same thing here.

Exactly. Again, these are all big, big coincidences. The medical staff is paid an incredible amount of money to ensure stuff like this doesn’t happen and the assets remain protected, but hey, everyone deserves an off day here and there. It happens.

[dhsilv2]

Fine. Let’s pretend everything is A-ok in Warrior land.

Cousins “really wanted to come back” and sustained an additional injury due to overcompensating for his previous Achilles tear. Did he come back to early? Maybe, maybe not. There were reports he was “way ahead of schedule”, but let’s ignore he’s looked anything but way ahead of schedule after coming back. Big coincidence.

Looney broke his collarbone, “really wanted to come back”, sought a second opinion, was cleared, played through agonizing pain, and is now ruled out for the remainder of the series. Big coincidence.

Durant maybe had a calf strain, maybe had a partially torn Achilles. Who knows? Let’s ask Kerr about it. Oh, Kerr doesn’t know what’s going on. Weird. But hey, the team’s facing elimination and KD, “really wants to come back”...****...that same Achilles finished tearing. Big coincidence.

Bob Meyers offers an interview, and in tears, implored the public to “blame him” for what’s happened. Kind of weird a POBO would say these things unprovoked. But hey, Bob’s a nice guy. This is all big coincidence.

These are all big coincidences. Nothing to see here.

Injuries after a torn achillies aren't surprising or unusual. They're almost expected.

Loony came back with the understanding that he'd have to play through pain but the damage would not be long term. No reason to think that was wrong. He knew he could re-injure it and made that choice. Last I saw Loony still plans to play.

Durant to the best knowledge we had, strained his calf and any statement otherwise by a random internet board fan should be ignored. He clearly came back too soon...something countless players have done over the history of the NBA for the finals.

And of course Bob Meyers said to blame him, just like every person in authority has done ever. Nobody who works under me makes mistakes publicly, it's always 100% on me. Same thing here.

Exactly. Again, these are all big, big coincidences. The medical staff is paid an incredible amount of money to ensure stuff like this doesn’t happen and the assets remain protected, but hey, everyone deserves an off day here and there. It happens.

There's no connection in any of this....EXACTLY!

[infinite11285]

Injuries after a torn achillies aren't surprising or unusual. They're almost expected.

Loony came back with the understanding that he'd have to play through pain but the damage would not be long term. No reason to think that was wrong. He knew he could re-injure it and made that choice. Last I saw Loony still plans to play.

Durant to the best knowledge we had, strained his calf and any statement otherwise by a random internet board fan should be ignored. He clearly came back too soon...something countless players have done over the history of the NBA for the finals.

And of course Bob Meyers said to blame him, just like every person in authority has done ever. Nobody who works under me makes mistakes publicly, it's always 100% on me. Same thing here.

Exactly. Again, these are all big, big coincidences. The medical staff is paid an incredible amount of money to ensure stuff like this doesn’t happen and the assets remain protected, but hey, everyone deserves an off day here and there. It happens.

There's no connection in any of this....EXACTLY!

EXACTLY!1

None of this could’ve been managed any better. None of it.

[kwajo]

So many scorching hot takes tonight. It's entertaining but ultimately bottom of the barrel basketball discussion. If KD doesn't get injured and if they would've won with him in the full game as well, his previous injury probably doesn't even make any headlines. If there was widespread concern about him playing prior to this game I think that's one thing, but all I saw was a small contingency of people thinking that he should have a minutes limit.

And the whole Raptors fan stuff is dumb too. Every fanbase has classless fans. I'm sure some of them didn't know he was injured and cheered, and I'm sure some of them knew he was injured and cheered. Doesn't mean that every person in Canada or the fanbase should be held accountable. **** outta here.

Thank you for a rational take, too bad it is downed out by all the reactionary posts this morning.

[TheFinishSniper]

Medical staff is always to blame for any injury which happens after already being previously suffered nagging injury which lead to this one. This means if they werent complete honest with him and he still took risk himself being it's his own decision. They should have told him if he goes out and he reinjure himself he likely going suffer possibly achilles injury. Told him risk.

Myers sounded more like they told him him to go out and play. And he listened.

[dhsilv2]

Exactly. Again, these are all big, big coincidences. The medical staff is paid an incredible amount of money to ensure stuff like this doesn’t happen and the assets remain protected, but hey, everyone deserves an off day here and there. It happens.

There's no connection in any of this....EXACTLY!

EXACTLY!1

None of this could’ve been managed any better. None of it.

I said nothing of the sort. You can always manage things better, but neither of us have the insight to judge that. We'd be assuming and hopefully you know what that means.

[Guest202]

The front office needs to be responsible, otherwise, what the hell are they good for?

Everyone placing this squarely on KD is missing that so much of the NBA is narrative, spin, misinformation and rumor.

The Warriors have way too much smoke (with how this was handled and communicated), and now a HOF player with a potential career-ending injury on their watch, to be declared completely innocent here.

Investigate the hell out of this, and, KD, come out with exactly how this went down.

They ran him into the ground because they knew he was leaving for the Knicks. See also rushing back Looney, Cousins and their owner punching Lowry. They treat players as disposable subhuman — it’s the way Silicon Valley works. Greedy sociopaths. I hope KD sues this franchise for a cool billion in future lost earnings.

[BayArea408415]

It's called a box out, Lowry was already in position & Looney ran up on him to get the rebound.
Given the height difference, any box out by Lowry is going to be "undercutting" Looney.

Need to see the replay again but when they showed the replay live, it looked like Lowry was just backing up. He had no prior contact where he physically boxed out Looney.

[celtics543]

There are two possibilities here:
1. Kevin Durant, one of the biggest celebrities with a great agent, didn't go see his own personal doctor before deciding to come back and play. This would make him one of the stupidest athletes of all time. I coach high school sports and most kids here get a diagnosis from our trainer and then go to their own doctor for a second opinion. I would assume Kevin Durant was getting a second opinion before playing.

2. He did get a second opinion and his personal doctor told him the chances of hurting himself further were slim to none. Which means the Warriors brass didn't do much to "force" him to play and two separate medical staffs cleared him for the game.

Either way, it sucks that it happened but I'm not sure it's really anyone's fault.

[My2CentsR]

- He should play
- He shouldn't have played
- He should sue the Warriors
- Lowry is dirty
- Toronto fans are classless

We can't have enough of this.

I actually havent seen Lowry is dirty yet. haha

Undercutting Looney I guess? He’s more clumsy than dirty. He flops a lot but in no way is he dirty imo.

When I think of Lowry I think scrappy, floppy, and complaining. Definitely not dirty though.