Kevin Durant Achilles Injury Mega-Thread (Keep discussion here, please)

[bleeds_purple]

Also, people begun to realize on how valuable Durant actually was for Warriors given to Raptors' dominance over them.

They are 2-2 in the games Klay plays. Without KD its an even match-up. These day-to-day story lines are nuts.

That being said, if GS was healthy this would be Warriors in 5.

[infintybeyond]

Medical staff have to protect the players from themselves. Players will always want to play especially in the NBA Finals and especially as a franchise player. We've heard all those stories about football players playing with concussions or boxers brutally beaten but still wanting to fight. The coach, trainers, and medical staff should always look out for their athlete's well being.

[Alonzo_Morning]

Hell no

[ProfessorJM]

If the facts support such a conclusion, of course yes. But the facts have to support that conclusion, and it's a fairly high evidentiary standard. Regardless, there should be an investigation and from my own personal perspective, I certainly am wondering a little now about this organization that was seemingly run so well. Now, I may have to perceive this entire Warrior run in a different light (not on the players, but the management) if certain facts - even if not legally liable - show enough to disturb my common sense morality and sensibilities.

[NeutralObserver]

How are we on a basketball forum and the mods allow posters to kick a guy when he's down...?

Questionable, at best...

Realgm comments about KD are worse than Youtube's.

[RB34]

.

[GeorgeMarcus]

It's hard for any of us plebes to know how much autonomy KD had over his decision, and to what extent it was influenced by the medical staff/their assessment.

All that aside, the question does seem to be in poor taste.

[Raps in 4]

No. The organization is to blame.

[sacking123]

While I don't think the Warriors' procedures were great with this injury this really calls into question the media and fans.
KD was basically called a liar that the injury wasn't bad enough to sit out. If he had of sat out the series the entire basketball world would have come down on him even harder than they have before, which is saying something and I believe this is what these people wanted.
Either the Raptors win and the narrative is he's a coward for not coming back to help his teammates out, or the Warriors win and the narrative is the Warriors didn't even need him for the other rings etc.
Truly sad because KD seems like a great guy who truly loves the game of basketball.

And a team should definitely max him. Hell it may put a team like my Kings in the discussion, but that's for another thread.

I disagree with everything in your post.

I don't think the media and fans had any power in his decision to play, and if they did I don't think the narrative was against KD.

I also spoke to a physio this afternoon and showed her the video of his Achilles going - I mentioned that he is a free agent and eligible for a 5-year contract, her words were "Nobody will sign him to a long term contract with that injury". She said that in a straight line he will be ok, but he will never regain the ability to jump and land, the explosiveness will never come back. I think teams will offer him a max, but after that discusssion, I don't think that they should.

I didn't say the media and fans had any power in his decision to play. What I did say was they were basically calling him a liar and creating a false narrative of both KD and the Warriors (not that they handled it the best by the way).
The narrative pre game 5 certainly wasn't positive regarding KD, at all, so I don't know where you get it wasn't against him.
In some ways part of that was on the Warriors themselves for not giving out more information and being transparent, which lends itself to people making up absurd things, but there is no doubt the narrative prior to the hours before game 5 was anti KD.

[Drygon]

How can anyone ever say that without knowing knowing what he was told? He may have felt fine but you really wonder if anyone felt pressure to rush him back to save the Warriors season? I hope there is close scrutiny of the Golden State organization for what has happened just for the optics alone to make sure players feel like they can trust team personnel/doctors. I certainly am not advocating bad intent on the organization but when this happens with this specific timing/situation it has to raise some fair questions that should be analyzed. I bet you some NBA players are now thinking maybe Kawhi wasn't so crazy now about his own situation last year...

Kawhi's situation isn't even comparable.

He literally had control over his own rehab before the 17-18 season started, nobody was pressuring him or forcing him to play.


If anything, the most apt comparison would be Isaiah Thomas who played through a torn labrum in the playoffs. Boston Celtics lost anyways and they eventually traded IT when he didn't recover. Since then, IT is now an end of bench guy for Denver Nuggets instead of getting ton of money and playing on a superstar level. IT could've easily prevented such destiny if he simply refused to play through a serious injury. I wouldn't be surprised if it happens for Durant as well in future, sadly.

[MeloRoseNoah]

The Warriors organization exerts this pressure of KD through their media ballboys. I don't buy the bs spewed from this organization. If anything, it exposes the Warriors organization as a cutthroat franchise run by slave owners who treat players like trash.

[TheBallsDeeper]

Icing his leg when he was on the bench seems like the stupidest thing to do - I saw it at the time and thought that it was a surefire way to pull something. Someone's head needs to roll over that.

[Luigi]

Yes, it was his call in the end, I'm sure.

But that doesn't exonerate people who were charged with preventing it. Kerr and medical didn't perform well.

[NeutralObserver]

While I don't think the Warriors' procedures were great with this injury this really calls into question the media and fans.
KD was basically called a liar that the injury wasn't bad enough to sit out. If he had of sat out the series the entire basketball world would have come down on him even harder than they have before, which is saying something and I believe this is what these people wanted.
Either the Raptors win and the narrative is he's a coward for not coming back to help his teammates out, or the Warriors win and the narrative is the Warriors didn't even need him for the other rings etc.
Truly sad because KD seems like a great guy who truly loves the game of basketball.

And a team should definitely max him. Hell it may put a team like my Kings in the discussion, but that's for another thread.

Perfect response. Max Kellerman, Chris LeBroussard ALL talking crap about him WHILE he was injured was disgusting.

They said that they know KD is "enjoying" the Warriors losing.

Not sure how the media can escape culpability.

[Moonbeam]

Awful, awful news for KD and the NBA. Hope he can beat the odds and make a full recovery.

[TheBallsDeeper]

While I don't think the Warriors' procedures were great with this injury this really calls into question the media and fans.
KD was basically called a liar that the injury wasn't bad enough to sit out. If he had of sat out the series the entire basketball world would have come down on him even harder than they have before, which is saying something and I believe this is what these people wanted.
Either the Raptors win and the narrative is he's a coward for not coming back to help his teammates out, or the Warriors win and the narrative is the Warriors didn't even need him for the other rings etc.
Truly sad because KD seems like a great guy who truly loves the game of basketball.

And a team should definitely max him. Hell it may put a team like my Kings in the discussion, but that's for another thread.

I disagree with everything in your post.

I don't think the media and fans had any power in his decision to play, and if they did I don't think the narrative was against KD.

I also spoke to a physio this afternoon and showed her the video of his Achilles going - I mentioned that he is a free agent and eligible for a 5-year contract, her words were "Nobody will sign him to a long term contract with that injury". She said that in a straight line he will be ok, but he will never regain the ability to jump and land, the explosiveness will never come back. I think teams will offer him a max, but after that discusssion, I don't think that they should.

I didn't say the media and fans had any power in his decision to play. What I did say was they were basically calling him a liar and creating a false narrative of both KD and the Warriors (not that they handled it the best by the way).
The narrative pre game 5 certainly wasn't positive regarding KD, at all, so I don't know where you get it wasn't against him.
In some ways part of that was on the Warriors themselves for not giving out more information and being transparent, which lends itself to people making up absurd things, but there is no doubt the narrative prior to the hours before game 5 was anti KD.

So you say "this injury this really calls into question the media and fans.
KD was basically called a liar that the injury wasn't bad enough to sit out. If he had of sat out the series the entire basketball world would have come down on him even harder than they have before, which is saying something and I believe this is what these people wanted."

Then you say "I didn't say the media and fans had any power in his decision to play."

Which is it?

[JellosJigglin]

FFFFFF...this brings back memories of one of my worst sports moments of all time, watching Kobe Bryant in tears and crutches after the game he tore his achilles. I have never cried from a sports moment as an adult but I came damn close that night because I knew it was the end of a legend's career. Kobe got hurt multiple times that game and kept getting up. I remember I kept saying "sit this one out Kobe" every time he went down in pain. Now everyone who doubted KD's injury going into this game can stfu. I just hope it isn't a full tear and only a partial one. I'm not ready to say bye to another all-time great. Godspeed Kevin Durant.

[BoogieTime]

Yes, mostly.

No clue why someone would blame Warriors for “pushing him”. Odds makers have him not returning, as they were looking to lose the Finals without him.......

[Uncle Dennis]

No it's not fair to say that and it seems like a disrespectful question.

How exactly is it a disrespectful question when Durant wanted to play with the potential risk to aggravating his injury?

Poor dude had a lot of pressure on him to play too, it's really a very unfortunate situation. I wouldn't blame him at all.

Like I said, it's Duran'ts decision whenever he plays or not. Nobody is forcing him to do anything.

He should've just refused to play a single minute for Warriors until he was fully healthy.

Even if it would damning his already crappy reputation in the NBA community.

I agree, if he truly felt hurt I wouldn't have personally played. I just understand how much pressure he probably felt, but still, your career is the most important thing.

[RB34]

The Warriors organization exerts this pressure of KD through their media ballboys. I don't buy the bs spewed from this organization. If anything, it exposes the Warriors organization as a cutthroat franchise run by slave owners who treat players like trash.

Slave owners that pay their players tens of millions per year.