TNT analyst Charles Barkley is blaming the Golden State Warriors for the devastating injury forward Kevin Durant suffered in the second quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals:
“You've been asking these guys all morning if there's somebody to blame. Yes, there is somebody to blame — the Golden State Warriors for putting KD out there,” said Barkley. “Listen, that was not right … I blame the Warriors for KD getting hurt and I don't care what they say about it. They should have put that man out there. You know how I know it? Because he blew out his Achilles.”
Barkley's take seems to be somewhat misguided, as it wasn't the organization who put out the reports claiming there was frustration in the locker room, as he pointed to in the clip.
The report saying the Warriors winning without him being KD's worst nightmare? Also not the Warriors.
In fact, it was the organization who frustrated most of the media (and fans alike) for taking due caution with his injury and making him hurdle a bevy of tests before he could see the floor — ultimately fielding two full-contact workouts before being cleared to start in Game 5.
Durant's Achilles tear can be summed up to his month-long absence and the sheer torque it takes to go from practice-like situations to a full-tilt NBA Finals game.
President Bob Myers was adamant about taking the blame for his injury after the game, knowing it would be a matter of hours before the witch hunt started before people looked for someone to point the finger at in the wake of Kevin Durant's season-ending injury.