Camp Curry in Oakland

Durant doesn’t blame Golden State for injury

Some armchair analysts blamed the Warriors for the way they handled AllStar forward Kevin Durant’s calf injury in the NBA playoffs, suggesting they may have hurried him back to play in Game 5 of the Finals against Toronto — when he tore his Achilles tendon.

One important person in this saga does not blame the Warriors: Kevin Durant.

Durant, in his first interview since he joined the Brooklyn Nets, told Yahoo Sports that he doesn’t believe Warriors officials — including director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini — mishandled his injury.

“Hell, no. How can you blame (the Warriors)? Hell, no,” Durant told Yahoo in a story posted Wednesday. “I heard the Warriors pressured me into getting back. Nobody never said a word to me during rehab as I was coming back. It was only me and Rick working out every day. Right when the series

started, I targeted Game 5.

“Hell, nah. It just happened. It’s basketball. S— happens. Nobody was responsible for it. It was just the game. We just need to move on from that s— because I’m going to be back playing.”

Durant didn’t shed much light on the reasons behind his decision to leave the Warriors for Brooklyn, telling Yahoo, “Because I wanted to. The basketball was appealing.”

Asked when a decision was made, he replied: “June 30. That morning. I never wanted to disrespect the game by putting my focus on the future. It was always about that day, focusing on that day and what was most important that day. And throughout the season, basketball is the No. 1 thing.”

Durant also was asked about his heated verbal exchange with Draymond Green during a game against the Clippers on Nov. 12, 2018. The incident stirred speculation Durant planned to leave the Warriors after the season.

“Hell, yeah, I’m tired of talking about that s—. Look, we’re grown men,” Durant said. “We understand what this is. We’re playing basketball for a living. It’s a business. Everybody congratulated me when I went to the Nets.

“Everybody wished me well, and they know that I’m still a phone call away. So, I just happen to play in a different jersey now. Nothing else is going to change.”

Photos by Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle Above: Warriors guard Stephen Curry goes over a play with his team during a timeout in the game at the Stephen Curry SC30 Select Camp at Merritt College in Oakland. Right: Curry greets Jalen HoodSchifino, a playre from Charlotte, N.C., at the camp. It’s the sixth year of Curry’s camp, developed in conjunction with Under Armour. Invited are top high school players from across the country with diverse backgrounds and skill sets.