Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant suffered a rib injury against the Minnesota Timberwolves this past Sunday. Wednesday. Upon MRI, this was revealed to be an incomplete rib cartilage fracture. Durant was able to play through the end of that game, and also play 35 minutes on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, helping the Warriors to a win. Here's a look at where Durant suffered the injury against the Wolves.
This is the play Kevin Durant suffered the rib fracture — barrel drive into Karl-Anthony Towns (same game Klay Thompson suffered thumb fracture) pic.twitter.com/wioOQDdPqA
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 17, 2018
To be clear, this is different from a fracture of the ribs (and often misdiagnosed as such). The costal cartilage is tissue at the front end of the ribs. It aides with elasticity and structural support of the rib cage.
It’s an extremely painful injury. Every time your rib cage expands (like when breathing in) or activity involving upper body torso movement, you feel it.
The general timeline for healing of an incomplete rib cartilage fracture can be up to 6 weeks. In the case of a full fracture (the rib being fully separated from cartilage), it can be up to 12 weeks.
In Durant’s case, he is set to be re-examined in two weeks. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s out until the playoffs. With the amount of torso movement, chest contact generally and with ribs exposed (like when shooting a jumper, driving the lane, blocking a shot, etc) combined with the high level of pain and irritability of this injury – the Warriors will likely be extremely conservative.
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