NBA History: 5 Injuries that changed the NBA forever

#3 Kevin Durant - Golden State Warriors (2019)

Kevin Durant's injury against the Houston Rockets changed the course of the playoffs

Heading into the 2018-19 season, many lauded the Golden State Warriors' roster as the best ever assembled. Steve Kerr's team were coming off back-to-back titles, and Golden State had stunned the NBA world by picking up a fifth All-Star in DeMarcus Cousins.

After coasting throughout the regular season, the Warriors faced their first real test in the second round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets. However, with the series tied at 2-2, Kevin Durant left Game 5 with a suspected Achilles injury which was later reported to be a calf strain.

The Durant-less Warriors eventually prevailed, and weeks of immense speculation followed as to if and when KD would return. The 2014 MVP bravely returned for the Warriors' must-win Game 5 of the NBA Finals, although his comeback was halted by a catastrophic Achilles injury sustained in the second quarter.

The Toronto Raptors eventually prevailed to win their first-ever NBA Championship in six games and brought an end to the Warriors' dynasty. Needless to say, the Warriors would have won a third-straight title with Durant on the court, and a third straight title may have been enough to convince the superstar to snub a move to Brooklyn.