Why Are We So Bad at Getting Better?
Four and a half years ago, in the heat of an N.B.A. playoff game against the Houston Rockets, Kevin Durant, the superstar forward of the Golden State Warriors, dodged a defender, dribbled once, and sank a two-point jump shot. When he turned to run upcourt, however, he bounced off his right foot and felt something tear. He managed to hop to mid-court, clutching his leg, but then doubled over in pain. After Durant limped out of the game, an MRI showed that he had ripped the muscle fibres in his calf; a prior injury, along with a sharp increase in playing time, probably placed him at increased risk. For the next few weeks, as the Warriors advanced to the N.B.A. Finals, Durant tried to recover. But when his teammates found themselves down three games to one, facing elimination, some of them r...