PARIS -- It's not a distinction anyone really wants, though its value is unquestioned: Kevin Durant has proven he's probably the greatest player in basketball history when recovering from injury.
Short term, long term or medium term throughout 17 years in the NBA and now five summers with USA Basketball, Durant has repeatedly and relentlessly overcome setbacks to deliver world-class performances. The latest being his 23-point explosion by making 8 of 9 shots in just 17 minutes off the bench in Team USA's dominant win over three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and gold medal contender Serbia in Sunday's Olympic opener.