The old sympathetic adage we often toss around when a loved one is going through a tough time is, "I know what you're going through." Or, "I feel your pain."
That's usually not literally true. But in the case of Robert Griffin III and Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant, it's pretty close.
Ravens fans will recall the Haloti Ngata hit that injured the then-Washington Redskins starting quarterback Griffin during his magical rookie season.
Four weeks later, Griffin would return to play in the Redskins' playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, further damaging his knee and ultimately requiring surgery. The recovery dampened his budding career, leading to a long climb back that ultimately led him to the Ravens' backup QB position.
So, what does his injury have to do with Durant? The Warriors forward had missed 30 days of game action with a calf injury, but returned to play in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, anxious to help his reeling team claim the NBA championship.
Unfortunately, instead, he tore his Achilles in the second quarter.
Griffin could relate, and took to social media to talk about the injury that rippled across the sports landscape.
Griffin told The Undefeated:
"I watched it as it was happening, and a lot of people have compared it to my situation. A lot of people have asked whether he should have played. … But everyone was wondering when KD was going to come back. He comes back in Game 5, and as soon as he goes down, the question flips. Then everybody starts asking why. Why was he even playing? So for me, yeah, it definitely brings back memories."
And given the chance, he'd do it again.
