WASHINGTON _ Less than two minutes into the Warriors' Tuesday night game in the nation's capital, Zaza Pachulia was fouled on a rebound attempt and went tumbling backward. On the way down, Pachulia fell into Kevin Durant's left knee. The result could have massive implications for the Warriors' season.
As Pachulia made hard contact, Durant immediately grabbed at that left knee, limping away in obvious pain. He did not return to the game. The team is calling it a hyperextended left knee. An MRI has been scheduled. The tenor of this NBA season could hinge on the results of the scan.
Durant initially tried to stay in the game, jogging gingerly upcourt toward the Warriors bench and lasting one more offensive possession. But the pain, apparently, was too much. The team called timeout and Durant met with the team trainers before heading back into the locker room, limping and looking very frustrated.
Durant has never had knee issues in the NBA before. He missed 55 games a couple seasons back after three surgeries to repair a foot fracture. He missed seven games last season after tweaking his left hamstring, coincidentally, during the first half of a game in Washington, D.C.
