Yeah, that sounds like the obvious decision to be made. Get your body right for next year's playoffs. The Warriors are a team you know will make the playoffs without you while you heal. Then cash in as a Free Agent in 2020. Assuming he returns to form, this unfortunate injury really just holds up his future plans by 1 year.
I just hope the Knicks don't do something stupid and offer KD a max deal. Go for Leonard, Harris, Walker and maybe Kyrie. Durant will likely be 32 by the time he plays in the NBA again, not worth it, when you don't know if he'll ever be the same player again. I just hope he opts in, so this mistake can't happen. The Knicks love to get players past their prime coming off injuries. Where's @hackenburg to tell us how KD isn't actually injured and just part of a humiliation ritual?
Like you give a shit that Durant is going to get 30 million to rehab an injury that 230,000 Americans suffer from each year.
You'd still be an asshole for clapping at any of them A nasty injury is a nasty injury no matter how envious you are of their wealth or fame
I never cheer for an injury. It's bush league and bad sportsmanship. Watching the GS GM act like his father just died was ridiculous. It was equally poor behavior. There are real tragedies that we will all experience. This isn't a tragedy. The problem is bad sportsmanship has infected our culture. Guys like Durant and Green who are big time stars and piss and moan about their unfair treatment by refs and taunt their opponents sends a message to the fans. Go to any organized basketball game from pee wee to High school basketball. Kids are emulating that behavior toward the refs and their opponents across the country. Many of them egged on by their parents. Sportsmanship, like rude behavior is learned. The NBA bears plenty of the responsibility. The players have to behave professionally and with sportsmanship toward their opponents and the refs. Bad sportsmanship by the fans has been going on for decades but not to this extent. It's been learned and okayed by the pro's. I agree fans showed poor sportsmanship.
Bob Myers was conjuring up the crocodile tears because he was clearly the one panicking and urging Durant to get back on the court when he wasn't 100%. I have no doubt it was against Steve Kerr's wishes. That video was a spineless twat trying and failing to save his own job.
Hard to know. One of the great moments in Knick history was when a hobbled Willis Reed started game 7 against the Lakers at Madison Square Garden in 1970. Nobody keeps him out of that game, nobody. I suspect Durant wanted to play and it was his choice. I think it's foolish to blame either the coach or the GM. The GM came off like a douche bag but it has to be the players choice. FYI, Lost in the moment, Walt Frazier had one of the greatest games in a game 7 history. 36 points, 19 assists and 7 rebounds. He had a bunch of steals but they didn't keep that stat at the time. Frazier was an absolute beast. One of my all time favorites.
I question if Durant is mentally strong enough to make a firm decision on playing or not playing. I think pressure got the best of him. Imagine being the warriors GM. You've literally had to do nothing for like 7 years from his initial draft decisions. Kudos to him.
If the Warriors end up coming back and winning, one could say it wouldn't have happened without Durant playing in game 5. He tried, he sacrificed his body to keep his team alive. It is admirable although it will probably hurt him financially. It's the NBA finals, if you feel you can play, you play.
I hope they sign Kyrie Irving, guy has been a cancer to the Celtics chemistry. They should be building around Tatum.
That or go to Brooklyn, they are a playoff caliber team to. He might be upset at the Warriors, no one really knows. Someone said it best, if the Warriors were up 3-1 instead of down 3-1 does KD come back to play? NO CHANCE.....he should have never been playing. Some feel the Warriors worked him because they know he is leaving. In the past they allowed Steph to take off as long as needed.
1 point game, every point counted, and having him on the floor helped the team get off to a hot start. His playing absolutely will have mattered if they come back.
The psychology of sports would say that Kevin Durant has played a large role in this NBA Finals. If someone argued that Durant should be finals MVP, I would understand where they are coming from. Of course, that is not how sports work, but I get that viewpoint. If the Warriors would come back and win Game 6 and 7, you would have to say they were inspired by Durant and played for him. If they don't, you could say the entire series would be different with a healthy Durant.
You could make the argument that Nick Nurse is the MVP if the Warriors win. Taking that TO when Leonard had just taken over the game killed the Raptors Mojo. GS scored the next 10 points.