Injuries the great leveller as NBA certainties get tossed out

Don’t give up is message for contenders

TORONTO • Since the July day Kevin Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors, much of the NBA world had seen Warriors-Cleveland Cavaliers 3, The Rubber Match, as all but a given come the NBA Finals in June.

But recent events have reminded us all that assuming certainty can be a mistake.

Now more than ever, “that’s why they play the games” seems truly apt.

First J.R. Smith got hurt, robbing Cleveland of one of its most important weapons. Then all-star big man Kevin Love went down, too, weakening the club significantly. Both are expected back at some point either right before or sometime during the playoffs, but it’s unclear whether they will be in peak form after missing so much time.

Sensing Cleveland’s weakness and knowing the team’s contention window might not be long (depending on what its free agents do), the Toronto Raptors pounced on Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker. But then wrist surgery came out of nowhere for Kyle Lowry, the club’s top player and driving force. That put a major dent in Toronto’s hopes and made the East even more wide open.

Finally (we hope), Durant suffered what was initially feared to be a catastrophic knee injury on Tuesday night when gigantic teammate Zaza Pachulia fell on him. Luckily, tests Wednesday revealed that Durant should be able to get back at some point this season, even if it is the second round of the playoffs. Durant suffered a Grade 2 sprain of his medial collateral ligament and a tibial bone bruise.

“What a rough month for injuries, myself included,” tweeted Love. “League is so much better with everyone on the floor. Stay Healthy @ NBA.”

Even if Durant does return, San Antonio is very good and the mighty Warriors won’t be the heavy favourites they were considered to be before Durant was helped off. Only a year ago, two-time MVP Stephen Curry missed time due to ankle and knee issues. He wasn’t himself during the Finals, and that’s a key reason why James and the Cavs prevailed in seven games.

Curry is back in form, but Durant was averaging career bests in several categories and the Warriors had won 50 times in 60 games, easily pacing the league. The sky appeared to be the limit for that group.

But this slew of injuries has reminded us that you just never know. It has sent an important message to would-be contenders: Don’t give up. Stay in the hunt. Nothing is guaranteed health-wise where contact sports are concerned.

Even the seemingly impossible — for example, an injury to LeBron James, who has been all but indestructible for well over a decade now — is not completely unfathomable, though he has been basically a T-800 robot since stepping foot in the NBA.

Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid has basically been the opposite of James, with ailment after ailment limiting his court time severely, and the Sixers said Wednesday that the presumptive rookie of the year will miss the rest of the season.

Hopefully, Embiid is the last star to go down, but that seems unlikely.

CHRIS SZAGOLA / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES The Golden State Warriors were off to a 50-10 start in Kevin Durant’s first season with the team. But now they will have to soldier on without their injured playmaker.