Yes, injuries happen every year. But this season feels as if it’s been impacted as much as any in recent memory, fundamentally changing the way things may have worked out. The hit list:
— There was the multiple foot issues for Kevin Durant this season – which, combined with the broken hand for Russell Westbrook, were enough to keep the Thunder from making the playoffs in the Western Conference.
— Chris Bosh was lost for the final two months of the season after the discovery of blood clots in his lungs, which took a Miami team that had just re-made itself into a dangerous playoff team by acquiring Goran Dragic and sank it.
— George’s injury was enough, despite his return for the final few weeks, to keep the Pacers home as well.
— In addition to Carroll’s recent issue, the Hawks haven’t looked right since Thabo Sefolosha suffered a broken leg during an arrest in New York last month, losing a key bench piece and their most experienced postseason player.
— Their opponent in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavaliers, are dealing with Kyrie Irving playing through multiple leg injuries (he’s now questionable for Game 2) after losing power forward Kevin Love for the postseason because of a dislocated shoulder he suffered in the first round.
— The Wizards might still be playing if not for John Wall having to miss three games with five non-displaced fractures in his left hand and wrist. The Hawks won two of those three games and eventually managed to advance.
— The Bulls, who lost to Cleveland in the last round, had another injury-shortened season from Derrick Rose; Joakim Noah – a top five MVP candidate and the Defensive Player of the Year a season ago – had a knee injury and looked horrendous during the playoffs; and Pau Gasol missed two critical games of the East semis with a hamstring injury.
There are more than enough injuries to go around out West, too.
— The Rockets managed to get to the Western Conference Finals without Patrick Beverley and Donatas Motiejunas, their starting point guard and one of their best big men.
— The Clippers had to play the first two games against the Rockets without Paul because of an injured hamstring.
— Memphis also had to deal with its starting point guard, Mike Conley, missing three total games because of a facial fracture that required him to wear a mask.
— Portland went from a potential contender to first-round cannon fodder after injuries to Wes Matthews (Achilles tear), Arron Afflalo (shoulder) and Nicolas Batum (knee, wrist) – not to mention star forward LaMarcus Aldridge spending the second half of the season playing through a torn tendon in his thumb that required surgery.
— Even the Mavericks, who went out in five games to the Rockets in the first round, would’ve had a better chance if they didn’t lose top free agent Chandler Parsons to knee surgery after Game 1.
Even players like Carmelo Anthony and Kobe Bryant, both of whom missed most of the season with injuries, would’ve made teams like the Knicks and Lakers worth paying attention to, rather than simply being loss machines no one cared to see play on a nightly basis.
