It was Kevin Durant's decision and his alone to come back for Game 5 of the NBA finals after injuring his calf just a few weeks earlier in the semifinal round against the Houston Rockets. Durant told Yahoo! Sports that the Warriors medical staff shouldn't be blamed in the least for him returning prematurely to try and rescue Golden State from a 3-1 series deficit to the Toronto Raptors.
“Hell, no. How can you blame [the Warriors]? Hell, no,” Durant told Yahoo Sports. “I heard the Warriors pressured me into getting back. Nobody never said a word to me during rehab as I was coming back. It was only me and [director of sports medicine and performance] Rick [Celebrini] working out every day. Right when the series started, I targeted Game 5. Hell, nah. It just happened. It’s basketball. S--- happens. Nobody was responsible for it. It was just the game. We just need to move on from that s--- because I’m going to be back playing.”
If you take Durant at his word, it vindicates his former team from some of the blame, but the question still remains how was he medically cleared to play when many believe the Achilles ruptured he suffered was likely connected to his injured calf that hadn't fully healed?
Regardless of how he felt, Durant admitted that the plan all along was for him to play in Game 5.
“No matter what the series was, I was aiming for Game 5,” he said. “That’s why I played when it was 3-1. No matter what, I just wanted to play in the Finals. I just wanted to hoop, especially if I could be out there. I was feeling good leading up to it. I was working out every day. I was gradually getting back to myself doing the two-a-days. I was really locked in on my game and trying to get back. I really wanted to play in that series.”
Before concluding the interview, Durant couldn't help but take a parting shot at the Raptors, whose fans initially cheered his injury when he went down.
“It will probably be the last time they will be in the Finals,” Durant noted.
This will make for a very intriguing Atlantic Division rivalry when Durant return to the court.
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