Kevin Durant finally returned to action for Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. However, he appeared to aggravate his calf injury early in the second quarter. He left the contest immediately. Durant was helped to the back by two Golden State Warriors starters, Stephen Curry, and Andre Iguodala.
Kevin Durant Aggravates Calf Injury
Durant went down with an apparent calf injury with 9:46 left in the second quarter with his team leading 39-34. The immediate reaction from Durant and his teammates told the story better than anyone could. Frustration, anger, heartbreak, and several other emotions washed over the whole Golden State Warriors squad.
It appears the two-time NBA Finals MVP is done for the remainder of the series.
Kevin Durant appears to aggravate his calf injury and heads to the locker room early in the second quarter. pic.twitter.com/VXu3SmTS8Y
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 11, 2019
Durant originally injured his right calf in a Game 5 victory over the Houston Rockets in the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs. After missing nine games over the span of a month, Durant made his return in Game 5. With the Golden State Warriors trailing 3-1 in the series, his team needed him.
As soon the game started, Durant looked like his old self. He effortlessly meshed back into the starting lineup and showed out early. He knocked down all three 3-point attempts, tallying 11 points in just 12 minutes.
Then, injury struck again.
The severity of the injury is currently unknown, but it seems unlikely that Durant will return to action. With his free agency looming, it may be possible he’s played his last game in a Warriors jersey. There has not been an official announcement on the issue yet.
If the Durant era is over as a Golden State Warrior, he’ll have no shortage of hardware to flaunt from the stint.
UPDATE: Durant will not return for the remainder of Game 5 with a right calf injury. He left the arena on crutches with a boot on the injured leg. He will have an MRI Tuesday morning.
UPDATE: Warriors general manager Bob Myers confirmed Durant suffered an Achilles injury.
This is an ongoing story. Check back for updates.
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