Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant was reportedly nowhere near a hundred percent despite being cleared to return in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.
Durant was frustrated he couldn't help his teammates sooner and worked incredibly hard to return, even though he wasn't totally healthy:
Family, teammates and confidants routinely checked on Durant during his quest to rejoin his guys on the court. Each time, Durant explained that he was working to speed up the process but was still experiencing discomfort pushing off his right foot, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Sources described Durant as being in agony because he was unable to help his teammates.
Even though he was cleared for Game 5, Durant was not anywhere close to 100 percent, sources said. The individual workout sessions and the light practice session on Sunday could not simulate the rigors of an ultra-competitive championship game.
We learned that harsh truth nearly two minutes into the second quarter of Game 5, when Durant attempted to drive past Serge Ibaka. As soon as he started to make his move, the two-time Finals MVP crashed on the floor, clutching the back of his right foot.
Though there is no official diagnosis yet regarding severity, we know it's an Achilles injury and the current fear is it's a tear.
It seems evident at this point that Durant wasn't ready to return, and it's unfortunate this had to happen for us to find out. This is devastating for Durant and could potentially be a career-altering injury for him.
Kevin Durant's courage and effort to return despite not being truly healthy has earned him the respect of fans who criticized him for his actions in the past. Unfortunately, it came at a very hefty price.
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