It hurts to say goodbye
Literally, it hurts to say goodbye.
It’s just a week into the new NBA season yet some players just have the misfortune of ending their campaign because of injury. They had at least played one game for their teams on opening night yet the basketball gods were not smiling on them.
Already out of the season because of a ruptured right knee patellar tendon, Jeremy Lin’s injury woes continue to hound him. He just played 36 games last season because of injuries and Brooklyn had planned starting him alongside D’Angelo Russell at the backcourt. The plan will be put on hold until he recovers from surgery.
2011 league MVP Derrick Rose is no stranger to injury and has not played for more than 66 games in a single season since that MVP year. Cleveland has listed him as day-to-day since he twisted his ankle in a victory over the Milwaukee Bucks last Saturday. Dwayne Wade is a shooting guard and with Isaiah Thomas still out with a hip injury, Jose Calderon remains as the Cavs’ only true point guard. With their ball handling abilities, JR Smith and Iman Shumpert could man the point but as in cases where things get tight, LeBron James will be the one directing the plays.
The Cavs show a very deep roster but the problem lies in its players being healthy. They also have the oldest roster in the league with an average age of 30-years old. No other team in the NBA is older than them. D-Wade is not as durable as before and in the past six seasons, has only played a 70-game season once. Kevin Love also had an assortment of knee and back issues which sidelined him for some time last season.
The other half of Houston’s dynamic duo is indefinitely out because of injury to his left knee. The Rockets did not give any specifics on Chris Paul’s injury, merely saying that their All-Star point guard has a bruised left knee. CP3 was in pain during their opener and management decided to let him rest. He could be out for at least a month.
LA Clippers’ rookie Milos Teodosic started in two games this season until a plantar fascia injury to his left foot will put him out of commission. No timetable was given as to his return to active duty. He suffered the injury in the second quarter of their match against the Phoenix Suns. He had been doing well playing for 16 minutes with per game averages of 5.5 points and 4 assists.
Next to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Malcolm Brogdon is Milwaukee’s second best player in this young season but some other players will have to take the limelight for the moment. With a left ankle sprain, his condition is dayto-day. In three games, he submitted averages of 16 points, almost 4 assists and 2 steals per game. The Bucks are also missing forward Jabari Parker from a torn ACL, with an expected return sometime in February or March of next year.
The most gruesome injury was that of Gordon Hayward and some perverted people on social media constantly replayed the injury, which was not pleasant to watch. Depending on the progress of his rehabilitation, GH could be back in time for the playoffs. This corner wishes all the injured players well and may they be back stronger.
A number of players have yet to see action for the season because of an assortment of injuries, be it bodily or mentally. By mentally, some were suspended for disciplinary reasons like Bobby Portis of Chicago who misaligned teammate Nikola Mirotic’s jaw. Reportedly, he sent apologies to the big Spanish-Montenegrin power forward, but as per reports, Mirotic hasn’t replied to calls or texts. Unless the sport is boxing, it’s never easy to bury the hatchet after getting a broken jaw, especially if done by a teammate.
Not only players are out for the season but also a head coach. In the second-fastest firing of a head coach in NBA history, Phoenix’ Earl Watson was given the pink slip after a 0-3 start. Canadian Jay Triano was named as interim head coach until the end of the season. The three losses included 2 40-plus loses to Portland and the LA Clippers which probably prompted management to fire Watson. Dolph Schayes holds the distinction when the Buffalo Braves fired him in 1971 after just a game.
Phoenix already had 5 coaching changes since 2013 but since Watson’s contract is good up to the end of next season, he continues to receive his salary. The franchise hopes that Traino will bring function to the disfunction as disgruntled guard Eric Bledsoe is being shopped around for takers.
Triano is anchoring on youngsters Devin Booker, Josh Jackson, Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss to at least prevent the Suns from finishing dead last in the Western Conference for the second consecutive year.