Sources: Durant flies to New York to endure MRI
Warriors star ahead Kevin Durant flew to New York Metropolis on Tuesday and was set to endure an MRI on his injured Achilles, sources informed ESPN.
League sources beforehand informed ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski that the group believes the MRI will verify an Achilles tear that Durant suffered in Golden State’s 106-105 win over the Toronto Raptors in Sport 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday.
The Warriors, who returned again to Oakland, California, on Tuesday, are anticipated to announce the outcomes of the MRI both Tuesday night time or Wednesday.
Golden State common supervisor Bob Myers had mentioned after Monday’s recreation that Durant would have an MRI on Tuesday to find out the severity of the damage, however the emotional seems to be on the gamers’ and coaches’ faces informed extra of the story.
“It is an Achilles damage,” Myers mentioned after the sport whereas holding again tears. “I do not know the extent of it. He’ll have an MRI tomorrow. Previous to coming again, he went by 4 weeks with a medical group, and it was thorough, and it was specialists and a number of MRIs and a number of docs, and we felt good in regards to the course of.”
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Previous to Monday’s damage, Durant hadn’t performed since injuring his proper calf on Might eight in opposition to the Houston Rockets within the Western Convention semifinals. He was initially dominated a game-time resolution after going by Sunday’s apply and Monday’s shootaround, however Warriors coach Steve Kerr mentioned earlier than the sport that Durant would play with none restrictions.
It was a choice Myers passionately defended after the sport.
“He was cleared to play tonight,” Myers mentioned. “That was a collaborative resolution. I do not consider there’s anyone guilty. … If it’s important to, you may blame me. I run our basketball operations division. And to inform you one thing about Kevin Durant: Kevin Durant likes to play basketball, and the people who questioned whether or not he needed to get again to this group have been flawed.
“He is one of the crucial misunderstood individuals. He is a very good teammate, he is a very good particular person. It isn’t truthful. I am fortunate to know him. I do not know — I haven’t got all the knowledge on what actually the extent of what all of it means till we get an MRI, however the people who labored with him and cleared him are good individuals. They’re good individuals.”
Tiger Woods, no stranger to important accidents himself, was requested Tuesday on the U.S. Open of his ideas on what occurred to Kevin Durant:
It was unhappy. As athletes we have all been there to that spot if you simply understand it, that one thing simply went, and might’t transfer, cannot do a lot of something. And you’ll see it on his face, how solemn his face went. He is aware of it when issues pop. You simply know.
And I have been there. I’ve had it to my very own Achilles. I’ve had it to my very own again. I do know what it looks like. It is an terrible feeling. And nobody may also help you. That is the laborious half. And whether or not he has a process going ahead or not, or no matter it’s, his offseason, what that entails, that is the toughest half about it’s the offseason or the rehab.
I imply, if he popped it, then that is six to 9 months of rehabbing. That is what individuals do not see, is all these lengthy hours that actually do suck. And why can we do it? As a result of we’re rivals. As athletes our job is to make the human physique do one thing it was by no means meant to do and to do it effectively and higher than anyone who’s doing it on the identical time. Properly, typically issues go awry. And we noticed it final night time with Kevin.
Durant left Scotiabank Area within the third quarter, utilizing crutches and carrying a strolling boot on his proper leg. He was accompanied by Myers and Rick Celebrini, the Warriors’ director of sports activities drugs and efficiency. Durant later took to Instagram after the sport.
“I am hurting deep within the soul proper now I am unable to lie,” Durant wrote within the submit. “However seeing my brothers get this win was like taking a shot of tequila, I received new life lol.”
Durant averaged 26 factors this season. If he misses subsequent season, that mark would rank sixth all time for a participant who missed the next season and third all time for a participant who missed the next season due to an damage, based on Elias Sports activities Bureau analysis.
Durant completed the playoffs averaging 32.Three factors on 51 % taking pictures, together with 44 % in Three-point taking pictures, and 90 % from the free throw line. He is the primary participant in NBA historical past to common 30 factors on taking pictures percentages of a minimum of 50-40-90 in a single postseason with a minimum of 5 video games performed. Durant’s postseason scoring common was additionally the fourth-best in a single postseason in Warriors historical past. Solely Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry had larger averages with a minimum of 10 video games performed.
The play on which Durant was harm occurred with 9 minutes, 51 seconds left within the second quarter as he tried to drive by Raptors large man Serge Ibaka. Durant was simply above the Three-point line on the appropriate aspect, dribbled between his legs and went to drive together with his left hand. Then his leg appeared to provide, inflicting him to lose the ball.
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Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers holds again tears speaking about Kevin Durant hurting his Achilles.
Durant went down in ache after taking a few steps, grabbing the decrease a part of his calf on the sideline. Durant remained on the ground for just a few moments because the Raptors got here down the ground and made a basket. The Warriors referred to as timeout as Celebrini raced to the ground to examine on Durant. Throughout that second, some Raptors followers cheered the truth that Durant was on the ground, upsetting Warriors gamers.
“Trash,” Warriors large man DeMarcus Cousins mentioned of the preliminary response. “So trash. However like I mentioned, after we’re behind the traces, it is famous person athletes. Not human beings. It is at all times about what we do between these traces. That is it. That is all that ever issues. After which as soon as we lash out and do human-type issues, then we’re thought of dangerous guys.”
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Durant was then escorted straight to the locker room for additional analysis. As he made his means off the ground, each Warriors and Raptors gamers supplied him nicely needs as the gang chanted, “KD! KD!” with some encouragement from a number of Raptors gamers. Warriors teammate Andre Iguodala was by Durant’s aspect with Celebrini as Durant was helped off the ground. Warriors guard Stephen Curry adopted Durant into the locker room, as nicely.
“Typically the spirit tells you what to do,” Curry defined. “You do not actually make selections, you simply act on it. I am unable to inform you what went by my head. It simply felt proper.”
Previous to the damage, Durant offered the Warriors with precisely the sort of scoring increase they have been hoping for. He scored 11 factors in 12 minutes — which is notable on condition that Durant performed 12 of the sport’s first 14 minutes even though Kerr mentioned earlier than the sport that Durant would play in “brief bursts.”
Kerr acknowledged after Monday’s shootaround that the uncertainty surrounding Durant’s standing has been a tedious course of for all concerned.
Durant was anticipated to be among the many marquee free brokers this summer season. He would possibly now find yourself exercising his $31.5 million possibility to stick with the Warriors, particularly if he’ll be sidelined for an prolonged interval.
ESPN Stats & Data contributed to this report.