The whole NBA world is examining how they approach injuries following Kevin Durant’s devastating injury. The league is entering a new era now.
All of a sudden everything stopped.
After a brief bout of noise getting caught up in the moment of Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the crowd at Scotiabank Arena went quiet as Kevin Durant stayed on the floor, motioning for help. Everyone on the floor knew something bad had just happened.
Durant had returned after missing nine playoff games with a calf injury. It always felt something more serious than a calf injury after he pulled up lame following a jumper without any contact. The immediate speculation was that injury was a hamstring or Achilles issue. Something far more serious.
The Golden State Warriors said in the aftermath that it was not as bad as it looked in that game against the Houston Rockets. They left the door open that he would return.
The pressure to make that return only grew as the Finals wore on. The Toronto Raptors were proving a much more difficult challenge. Fans did not understand the severity of the injury without information to go on and the “macho” culture of sport took over.
Durant took heat for sitting out with a legitimate injury. And that is always unfair. But the pressure to play persisted.
Desperate times seemed to call for desperate measures in Game 5 on Monday. Durant went through practice and got the go-ahead to play. His impact was immediate, scoring 11 points and making all three of his 3-pointers.
Early in the second quarter though, fate intervened. Kevin Durant tried to drive on Serge Ibaka and immediately fell over. Warriors general manager Bob Myers gave an emotional press conference confirming that Kevin Durant had injured his Achilles. The extent of that injury is still unknown, but everyone fears the worst.
At the very least, Durant has a long road ahead of him in his recovery as he faces the possibility he tore his Achilles.
The debate surrounding the NBA on Tuesday was not about the game — the Warriors shocked the Raptors with a late run to extend the series and send it back to Oakland one more time. Rather, the debate was about who was to blame for Durant’s injury.
And this will be a debate that only grows from here.
The only one who could know how healthy he truly was before the game is Durant. He had to listen to his body. If he felt comfortable playing and the team felt comfortable playing him, then there was no one at fault.
What has to change around the league — and quite possibly about society — is how others judge these medical decisions. Each individual should be allowed to have and make their own decisions in these cases.
Teams around the league are getting smarter with injury prevention and being proactive about injuries from wear and tear. The league itself is doing more to give players more rest and recovery than ever before.
Players and teams are taking new approaches to injuries. But the old school way of thinking — to “walk off” injuries or grit and bear real injuries to play for the team — still persist.
And that needs to change. There should never be an instance where anyone questions a player’s claims of injury. There should never be any outside pressure to play before the player most of all is comfortable to play and cleared by doctors and medical personnel.
Trusting the player
The benefits of this are clear.
Kawhi Leonard credited the Toronto Raptors’ load management plan in helping him be at his best in the NBA Finals. Leonard played in only 60 games this season. He is now clearly the best player in the Finals series and perhaps the NBA Playoffs MVP.
This came a season after everyone questioned whether Leonard was somehow faking an injury to avoid playing for the San Antonio Spurs last season.
The same kind of debate surrounded Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz.
Orlando Magic
Markelle Fultz dealt with a knee injury entering the NBA that kept him out for some time. But when he returned to the floor his rookie year for the Philadelphia 76ers, a shoulder and wrist issue quickly developed.
The disconnect between Fultz and the 76ers grew because the two had differing opinions about what was wrong.
The 76ers believed a lot of his issues were mental and found nothing wrong. This narrative started to take hold and all the blame was put on Fultz asking why he was not on the floor.
Fan pressure is still on Fultz to return. Philadelphia fans grew combative about Fultz, declaring him a bust. The popular Game of Zones web series started depicting Fultz as a meek and timid player not ready to play.
Of course, Fultz knew something was wrong with him. He was not able to do all the things he normally does. Without his comfort, he was not going to play.
He eventually found a diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome and began a rehab program that would help him manage the issue. He is continuing in that program. But he clearly lost some trust with the 76ers and what they expected of him.
The Magic have given him all the space and time he needs to recover without putting any timetable. They want what will help him be the best player he can be in the long term.
They hope this patience will pay off for them on the court eventually. But they are also keenly aware they should listen to the player about his own health and let him return at his pace.
Changing the culture
Markelle Fultz’s situation is not too dissimilar to Kevin Durant’s.
Durant was practicing and ramping up for a return while others called for him to “suck it up” when he was not medically cleared or ready to return.
Fultz was playing through his TOS diagnosis, but not effectively and not to the level he knows he can. He is going through his paces and tried to work out with the Orlando Magic throughout their playoff run working toward an eventual comeback.
Fultz never had the immediacy to return that Durant did.
The Magic still will not put a timetable for Fultz’s return. Nor have they provided much of an update of his progress. Nor do they need to outside of tempering public expectations. Fans are still excited to see what Fultz looks like when he returns. But it is unclear when that will be.
And it should remain unclear until Fultz, his doctors and the Magic’s doctors all feel comfortable with ramping up to that next step. It has been a long process for sure, but that process is still important to go through.
Durant wanted to play and could still play somewhat effectively when he did get the clearance to come back. All indications were that he was as healthy as he could be. His Achilles injury may be a case of bad timing rather than anything else.
Golden State Warriors
But it is often in rushing back from injuries that these injuries can get worse.
Grant Hill, for instance, constantly re-injured his ankle out of a desire to live up to his contract and help his team as quickly as possible. He nearly died on the operating table after a staph infection following one of his surgeries.
If the Magic had insisted he take his time coming back and not try to play until he was 100 percent, they might have been able to get a lot more out of him and see him return to his star status.
Then again, it is probably Hill as much as anyone pushing to come back sooner. The NBA has gotten a lot better with medical decisions and understanding the value of rest in recovery. This is something that must continue to evolve.
The decisions Kawhi Leonard and Markelle Fultz have made to ensure their long-term health should receive more respect.
It is impossible for outside observers to judge medical decisions any individual makes. Sports culture has made it so that people do ultimately judge players for these decisions. Sometimes harshly.
We glorify those who gut through injuries even to their own detriment. There is something admirable in that sacrifice to support the team.
Universally, everyone respected Durant for playing in Monday’s game. He gave it his all and paid the ultimate price. Players always want to play and slowing down with the stakes so high is always difficult.
Each player should be granted their own medical decisions. No one should feel pressure to play before they are ready. Every player — and them alone really — should be in charge of when they play.
If there is a lesson each team, each fan and each player should take from Durant’s injury, it is that they are ultimately in control of their health and their careers. It is their responsibility to understand the risks and do what is best for them.
The NBA must change its culture to understand this first and foremost.