It seems like Kevin Durant may have dodged a major bullet with his postseason calf injury.
Durant was diagnosed with a strained right calf in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals after landing awkwardly on his right leg following a third-quarter jump shot. The 30-year-old told reporters Friday that he knew he was hurt the second he came down from the shot, and feared the worst.
“I pushed off to run back down the court and I felt like somebody tripped me up,” he said. “I looked back and the first thing that came to my mind was Boogie (Cousins) said, Kobe (Bryant) said, Dominique Wilkins said it felt like somebody kicked them. That’s the first thing that came to my mind so I said let me slow down to process what’s going on.”
But Durant realized things weren’t as bad as they originally seemed when he was able to put weight on his leg shortly after sustaining the injury. Not everyone was aware of how he was feeling, though.
“I mean, (TNT commentator) Reggie Miller was screaming, ‘That’s his Achilles! That’s his Achilles!’ Obviously, everybody is going to be a little nervous,” he said.
Despite the injury, the Warriors still have found plenty of ways to get themselves back to the NBA Finals for the fifth year in a row. But that hasn’t led Durant to question his worth to the team.
“I’ve done pretty much everything they could ask from a player, from an ambassador to the organization and the community. … I know what I bring to the team, but I also know a lot of people from the outside don’t like to see us together. I get it.”
Durant has yet to be cleared for on-court activities.
