Toronto Raptors: 4 Things the Durant Injury Revealed About All of Us
By Go Paolo
Golden State Warriors’ superstar Kevin Durant reinjured himself in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. His injury has provided a sobering glimpse of all of us.
Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals will go down as one of the most memorable Finals games for both the right and wrong reasons. But the game itself, while spectacular, isn’t what everyone is talking about.
The Toronto Raptors were up 3-1 against the Golden State Warriors heading to Toronto. This was their chance to win their first NBA Championship on home soil and finally give their rabid fans something they have long clamored for.
But Kevin Durant, with an injured calf and all, was returning to the fold. He looked great in the warmups and made an immediate impact on the game itself.
Durant, the back-to-back Finals MVP is the Warriors’ best player, and to many pundits, the best player in the NBA right now.
It was with trepidation that Raptors fans, already known for their fervor, watched him help the Warriors to an early lead in the first period. But just two-and-half minutes into the second quarter, Durant reinjured himself.
Durant hurt his Achilles trying to drive past Serge Ibaka. And to add insult to injury, many fans inside the building (and across the nation) cheered after realizing that Durant’s short-lived comeback would likely clinch the Raptors’ series victory.
Except it didn’t. The Warriors rallied behind a magnificent performance from the Splash Bros., Steph Curry and Klay Thompson who combined for 57 points as they edged Toronto 106-105 to survive and bring the series back to Oakland.
Durant is now permanently out for the rest of the Finals and now has his Hall of Fame career hanging in the balance.
The many reactions about his injury from the players to the fans to the media not only reveals all the different perspectives of this sport but also our basic psychological makeup as people.