KD's career has been murdered. Now those shadowy culprits are squeaking like rats, claiming that KD's return was a "collective decision" and that nobody should be "blamed." They know — they know perfectly well they deserve the blame (which is exactly why they don't dare even a token admission of guilt) — they are the ones who murdered KD's basketball life. KD's injury was entirely preventable. Preventing it didn't require anyone to be especially smart or noble — it only required basic human decency. Now many people talk about this as though it were inevitable. Yes, it was inevitable — because it was a premeditated murder!

This is what KD's mother Wanda said in an interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os1-XOI_itg "Because my son is an adult now and the NBA is his employer I chose not to respond, but after they questioned him faking an injury and using the injury for his benefit, I felt that was really harsh – so I just wanted to let them know that I've been hearing all of their words."

Who "questioned him faking an injury and using the injury for his benefit"?

Now that KD is injured, the Warriors' coaches and players act as if none of this ever happened, and some Warriors fans claim that those of us who — out of love for basketball and love for KD — spoke up righteously are the very people who used to trash Durant and pressured him to play. As if no one remembers what happened just days ago.

Many people direct their criticism at the media. It's like the messengers of Khwarazm — the messengers — the reporters — did indeed expose something ugly, but the problem is that the ugliness actually exists, not that the reporters exposed it (if no reporters had exposed them, we wouldn't know how ugly it was).

Reporters said that some Warriors players felt "confused and frustrated" by KD's inability to play in Game 4. Were they wrong? Was it fabricated? Reporters did report what the Warriors' coaches and players said, but those words came out of their mouths — reporters didn't make them up.

Throughout the Finals, especially before Game 5, the interview transcripts of everyone on the Warriors are available online. I think many fans remember what they said. When your head coach says before every game that you might play, when your teammates feel "frustrated and confused" about your inability to play, even questioning whether you're about to leave, questioning whether you're faking your injury, and the team doctors have cleared you medically — what exactly would you have to do to defend your right not to be a hero?

Throughout this process, the Warriors made no statement whatsoever about the rumors tormenting KD. All they needed to say was "KD has not yet recovered, and he will not play until he is 100% healthy" — and this would have ceased to be a focal point. But what they actually did was pour gasoline on the burning volcano of public opinion, announcing before every game that KD might play, roasting him over the fire.

In the end, KD did play. And the very first time he tried to dribble into a crossover, he ruptured his Achilles tendon. Was he in any condition to play? Was he in condition to play in the Finals? Had he practiced this move in training? Did his coaches, teammates, and management not know his physical condition? (He hadn't even participated in a single team practice!)

Only Andre Iguodala said, "If he's not healthy, don't play."

After KD went down, he sat on the floor with an expression of perfect calm. As Yang Yi put it, he didn't look surprised at all — as if he were saying: I knew it. I knew this was how it would go. Are you satisfied now?

Regardless, KD stepping onto the court bearing such obvious and enormous risk was an act of heroism. Now the whole world knows who Durant is. But that doesn't change the ugly nature of this affair. KD is too good a person — and being good is no fault — but those shadowy, wretched people exploited his goodness to hurt him!

It's all over today. The Raptors winning the championship is truly wonderful — no one else will get hurt for the sake of some wretched title. But Klay Thompson was injured too. Two great players injured, and then people talk about how tough the Warriors played — was it worth it?