Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant recently reflected on the 2019 NBA Finals, where his Golden State Warriors faced off against the Toronto Raptors. Durant, who was sidelined by an Achilles injury in Game 5, believed that the Warriors were poised to win their third consecutive championship.

“I felt fine, bro. I felt perfectly normal. I felt like everything was good,” Durant said on the Out The Mud Podcast, via HoopsHype. At the time, Durant was confident that the Warriors could overcome a 3-1 deficit and complete a three-peat.

The 2019 Finals had high stakes, with the Warriors aiming for their third straight championship, something not achieved since the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002. Durant, focused on this goal, believed the Warriors were on track to accomplish something historic.

“The main goal was a three-peat,” Durant explained. “Nobody had done that since the Lakers. I was like, ‘We need to do that.’” His mindset throughout the playoffs was centered on winning the Finals and cementing the Warriors’ place in NBA history.

As the Warriors faced a tough challenge in the Finals, Durant felt the team had the ability to rally and win. “Right before that night, I was thinking, ‘We’re going to come back from down 3-1 and get this three-peat,’” Durant share.

However, things took a turn when Durant suffered a serious injury in Game 5. Despite his belief in the Warriors’ potential, Durant was forced to leave the court with an Achilles injury. The Raptors eventually won the series in six games, ending the Warriors’ run for a three-peat.

Looking back, Durant acknowledged that the experience taught him valuable lessons. “It taught me a lot about myself and my body,” Durant said. The injury, while devastating, became a turning point in Durant’s career, both personally and professionally.