Major injuries defining NBA’s postseason race
Boston forward Gordon Hayward’s season-ending injury on opening night foreshadowed the dark side of a compelling and entertaining NBA season.
Injuries are part of the game and next-man-up and all those canned bromides, but it’s impossible to ignore the toll injuries have taken on teams and the impact they’ve had on the playoff races.
Among the big names who have been or are sidelined with significant injuries: Hayward, Kawhi Leonard, DeMarcus Cousins, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love, John Wall, Paul Millsap, Kristaps Porzingis, Mike Conley, Markelle Fultz, Rudy Gobert, Jeremy Lin and Nic Batum.
It’s not just big names, All-Stars and top draft picks. Major and minor injuries to key starters, role players and reserves also have been detrimental.
Injuries that happened last season or during the offseason (Jabari Parker, Isaiah Thomas, Tony Parker, Solomon Hill) spilled into this season.
And concerning injuries for Golden State and Boston have influenced their pursuit of the No. 1 seed in the Western and Eastern Conferences.
At the All-Star break, players from 30 teams had combined to miss more than 3,700 games to injuries, according to certified athletic trainer Jeff Stotts, who maintains an injury database on his site, Instreetclothes.com. Stotts said that is a 28% increase compared with the same number of games played last season.
The league is on pace to pass 5,000 man-games lost to injury, which would be the highest number since the NBA eliminated the injury list for an inactive list before 2005-06.
Here’s a look at how injuries have affected playoff-caliber teams.
New Orleans: Entering Sunday, the Pelicans had lost 285 games to injury or illness, including three players (Hill, Alexis Ajinca and Frank Jackson) who haven’t played this season. Cousins’ Achilles rupture hurt, but coach Alvin Gentry has kept the Pelicans in the playoff race.
Miami: Almost a dozen Heat players have combined to miss more than 200 man-games, led by Dion Waiters, who played in just 30 games, and Rodney McGruder, who has missed 61.
Philadelphia: Fultz, the top pick in the 2017 draft who’s rehabbing a sore shoulder, has played in just four games in what is perhaps the weirdest injury story this season because of uncertainty on what caused it. Minor injuries have sidelined Justin Anderson, J.J. Redick and Joel Embiid as well.
Los Angeles Clippers: Through Saturday, the Clippers, competing for a Western Conference playoff spot, have missed 213 man-games to injury. Coach Doc Rivers had used 31 starting lineups. Patrick Beverley, out with a seasonending injury, will end up missing 71 games. Avery Bradley had surgery last week and will miss the remainder of the season. Danilo Gallinari has missed 51 games.
Utah: Through Saturday, the Jazz had lost 196 man-games to injury or illness. Dante Exum just returned after missing 68 games. Thabo Sefolosha was ruled out for the season after having knee surgery in January. Gobert has missed 26 games.
Milwaukee: Parker, who suffered his knee injury last season, didn’t return until Feb. 2. Mirza Teletovic is out indefinitely with pulmonary emboli. Matthew Dellavedova has missed 32 games. Malcolm Brogdon has missed 23.
Cleveland: First, the Cavs waited until January for Thomas to return from a hip injury. Now, the Cavs are waiting for Love and Tristan Thompson to return, with Love’s assimilation to new players being the key to their postseason success.
San Antonio: If Fultz’s injury situation isn’t the oddest, Leonard’s is. Out with quadriceps tendinopathy, Leonard has played in nine games, and none since Jan. 13. His progress and return are a mystery. If the Spurs don’t make the playoffs for the first time since 1997, his absence will be the reason.
Houston: As great as the Rockets have been, Chris Paul has missed 18 games, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute 17, Trevor Ariza 13 and Ryan Anderson 11.
Boston: The injuries have compiled, beyond Hayward’s. Kyrie Irving is battling knee soreness. Daniel Theis (knee) is done for the year. Marcus Smart had surgery on his thumb Friday and is hoping to return sometime in the playoffs.
Indiana: Injuries suffered by Myles Turner (17 games) and Darren Collison (13 games) have been the extent of Indiana’s issues this season. Turner and Domantas Sabonis missed Saturday’s loss to Washington with sprained ankles.
Washington: Injuries haven’t been horrible for the Wizards comparatively, but they need Wall (out since having knee surgery Jan. 31). He has missed 33 games and counting.
Denver: Millsap’s 44 games missed has been the biggest setback.
Golden State: Stephen Curry’s ankle, Klay Thompson’s thumb, Draymond Green’s shoulder and Kevin Durant’s rib will be under close watch. Especially Curry’s right ankle, which he has turned four times this season.
Minnesota: Butler is out after having meniscus surgery, and that could end up being the difference between making or missing the playoffs.
Portland: Through Wednesday’s games, the Blazers had lost just 50 mangames to injury. It’s no surprise they’re also taking command of third place in the West.
Toronto: The Raptors are securing the No. 1 seed with a talented and deep roster that hasn’t dealt with significant injuries.
Oklahoma City: The Thunder haven’t been killed by injuries, but there’s no question Andre Roberson’s season-ending knee injury has hurt the team, especially defensively.