PBandJ
If it didn't happen in the 80's, it didn't happen
Gotta think he considers opting in this year and just resting and rehabbing until he's as close to 100% as possible. Achilles injuries are brutal.
Injury Report: Kevin Durant ruptured his Achilles
- Thread starter Marc the Habs Fan
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- Jun 17, 2009
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It's pretty clear that their assessment, regardless of their motivations, was wrong based on how easily his calf/achilles gave out. Before going down the road of whether their decision was ethical, I think we can all agree that it was a failure.
Remember that they're the medical experts, not KD. The athlete is always going to want to play. It is incumbent on the doctors to override that desire. KD is also interested in his long term health, but clearly the information he was basing his decision on wasn't sufficient enough.
None of us are doctors (at least I'm not), but there were some pretty concerning signs prior to Game 5. The limping, the ice pack on the Achilles, the single practice before pushing him into a high-intensity game with no minutes restriction.
When you combine all of this, and consider the conflict of interest with the doctors working for the organization, it's just a really bad look. The poor diagnosis, the rushing of his recovery, and the media pressure all is a black eye for the Warriors. I don't think any of this speculation is out of bounds.
OilersaretheMcBest
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You're going to have to provide a link because I can't find evidence of that anywhere.
hatterson
Registered User
The counterpoint is that opting in costs him 6-7 mil this year based on the value of his player option vs. value of being on a max contract next year.
PBandJ
If it didn't happen in the 80's, it didn't happen
SJGoalie32
Registered User
So, either the Warriors doctors, plus KD's doctors, plus KD's assessment of his own pain level, plus a bunch of trainers and coaches and evaluators who watched him rehab, watched him work out, watched him practice were all wrong, and not just wrong but professionally incompetent and unethical in pushing KD to return when they did not rush Cousins rehabs, and forced Klay to sit for a pivotal Game 3 over his own wishes, and let KD sit out the first 4 games of these Finals......
.....OR maybe physical injuries are just a thing for athletes and any time someone rehabs and comes back from an injury, there is always a bit higher probability of either a re-aggravation or a new related injury.
dahrougem2
Registered User
Lmao dude looks like he straight up can't breathe out there and yet he's playing. He looks like he's in so much pain.
How the **** that guy got cleared to play is beyond me.
Avs_19
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There was some of the same talk of the organization being frustrated, which we saw the last week or so, going around at that time. The leaks to the media made it obvious that it was all coming from the Spurs side. Pop's presser prior to the playoffs said a lot as well when he was asked if Kawhi will join the team and he said something along the lines of, "go ask Kawhi's group." There was also the players only meeting that took place where they were reportedly trying to convince Kawhi to play and then Parker and Ginobili came out and threw some shade his way for not playing. There was pressure being put on Kawhi but him and his team basically just said it's not happening because he didn't feel right so he continued to sit.
- Jun 17, 2009
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I mean, he practiced once. From all reports his prior workouts didn't go well. He played 12 of the first 14 minutes and all it took was his first iso-play for his achilles to give out. It just didn't have that "freak-accident" feel to it, it was immediate tear. There's no way going straight to a high-intensity activity would be recommended by the average doctor.
Players play despite injuries in the playoffs all the time, there's an inherent cultural pressure to "tough it out" which I have a major problem with. Even when the player wants to play, there's too much leniency. There are reports that KD was nowhere near 100%. Hopefully if anything can come out of this, it'll be more caution when deciding when it's appropriate for a player to return
There was a failure at some point in the medical process if this outcome was deemed to not be a possibility. Period.
Reality Check
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- May 28, 2008
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The only scummy part were those Toronto fans cheering as he laid on the court injured. Not exactly a banner NBA Finals for either fanbase.
Furthermore people need to stop as if Golden State was putting a gun up to his head. The guy wanted to play because he wanted to try and win another championship. This after weeks of hearing(including here) just how much better Golden State was without Durant. After years of hearing he took the easy way out and that nothing achieved in his Golden State tenure matters. Guy is, at least, a top 5 player in the league and you're going to tell him no in the NBA Finals? Get the f*** out of here...
While near the end of his career Steve Yzerman all but destroyed his knee in the 2002 Playoffs. All because he wanted to win. He is still revered for it now.
Philip Rivers played the AFC Championship game on a torn ACL, Ronnie Lott cut off his own finger and the list goes on.
Was it the smartest move long term? Probably not. But I'm not going to shit on the guy because he wants to win. He wasn't hampering the team out there either.
SJGoalie32
Registered User
Jerry Rice tore his knee, rehabbed like a maniac, was back on the field before the end of the season, and then broke his kneecap in his first full game back ending his season.
Terrell Owens played a Super Bowl on a broken ankle and put up over 100 rec yds with no long term damage.
And in one of the more iconic images of this year's NHL playoffs, Joe Pavelski had to be helped off the ice with blood pouring from his head after falling awkwardly to the ice in a manner that I believe would not have happened had he not taken a puck to the mouth that knocked out a bunch of his teeth in Game 1.
Pucks to the mouth hurt like crazy. The pain is excruciating. Even if there is no concussion, the pain saps your stamina and energy and leg strength. Every bump feels 4x worse. Pavelski looked much slower and less energetic after getting his teeth knocked out. I have no doubt that Pavelski's head injury never would have happened if he had not taken that puck to the mouth 2 weeks earlier.
EK65 played 2.5 rounds of playoffs on part of a groin.
This is how sports work.
If every athlete sat out games until they were several weeks past being declared healthy by trainers, tomorrow's Game 7 would be a matchup of the Blues and Bruins AHL squads
Newsworthy
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Mark Stones Spleen
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Kawhi had endless time to get his own second opinions. I wonder, if because of the timeline here, whether or not Durant actually was able to seek out advice.
Either way, this sucks for him and it sucks for basketball.
Aladyyn
they praying for the death of a rockstar
Saying their assessment was wrong because he got injured again is so dumb. Have you seen KD's medical records or something?
Voight
#winning
I think Kawhi got a 2nd opinion because you know your body better than anyone. So while the team doctors said he could play, deep inside he knew his body wasnt ready.
Voight
#winning
I guess we'll ignore the time when GSW fans cheered after Kawhi got injured a couple years ago.
This never happened. And the moment is now. Toronto had a chance to rise above and they didn't. Still should take game 6 but if they lose that will be the moment of truth for sure.
Coaches Coroner
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- Mar 12, 2009
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I still think what he said is accurate if in fact he was pressured into service despite not being game-ready.
You are right about the cheering for KD's injury. Was watching on tv, couldn't really hear it but then saw several Raptors emphatically gesturing for the crowd to quiet down. Very uncalled for and a bad look on those cheering.
b1e9a8r5s
Registered User
It's funny to me to hear everyone complain or question the doctors clearing guys to play on a hockey board. Why is the onus on the doctor in the NBA, but in the NHL players are celebrated for playing through crazy injuries? You don't hear anyone wondering why a doctor cleared a guy.
Trust me, if Sidney Crosby blew his Achilles after being cleared to play prematurely, hfboards would be equally livid.
b1e9a8r5s
Registered User
The comment I was responding to was talking about Looney and how much pain he is in. Regardless, I still think injuries in the two leagues are spoken about very differently, although you are right that a star of KDs level going out in the NHL would be a big story too.
More than anything, people are just playing the results. He got hurt, so he was rushed back! Perhaps that is true, I don't know. But it's also possible that thing was ready to go and it was going to happen whenever he came back. Only the doctors can know for sure.
Voight
#winning
When you toot you're own horn about class, you better live up to your own standards.
Apologies, when you mentioned the word "guys" originally, it sounds like you were talking about Durant and Looney.
Even so, regarding Durant, there's no doubt in my mind he was rushed back. He could have put up 50 points, and played all game, and he was still rushed back.
Not even a week ago he had a very visible limp, and the leg has been iced every day. Due to the nature of the injury, it's a slow slow healing process.
