Injuries Plaguing the Playoffs

The NBA playoffs have been the best, closest, most exciting playoffs in recent memory. But could they be even better? There is one thing that is stopping these NBA playoffs from being the best playoffs in NBA history. Injuries. Injuries have plagued teams this postseason. Role players, starters, and even superstars have been sidelined this postseason. Superstars like Derrick Rose has had a nagging wrist injury all postseason that has cut back his play. John Wall has been sidelined 4-6 weeks with multiple fractures in his wrist. Chris Paul has had a hamstring injury that has kept him out of some early games against the Grizzlies. Kevin Love is out for the rest of the postseason due to the shoulder injury he suffered against Kelly Olynyk and the Celtics. Starters like Michael Conley have been sidelined and he wore a mask when he returned. Patrick Beverlay, Pau Gasol and Al Horford have all been sidelined this postseason. Kyrie Irving has been playing through two tough injuries. Role players like Donatas Motiejunas has been ruled out for the entire postseason along with Marreese Speights missing 1-2 weeks. Tiago Splitter (Calf Injury) and Tony Parker (Thigh and Ankle) played through injuries during their 7 game battle with the Clippers. Bradley Beal and Jeff Teague have dealt with tender ankles throughout the playoffs. So the point of all this is, the NBA playoffs are the most thrilling and exciting they’ve ever been. And they could have been even better. At one point, every series was tied at 1-1 in the conference semis. There were three buzzer beaters over this past week. (Pierce, Rose, Lebron) There have been epic comebacks and epic finishes with games coming down to the wire. We’ve seen playoff basketball at its best. But the thing is. The best has yet to come. Playoff basketball is growing to new heights and in the next few years it will be better than ever. While we have witnessed a great postseason so far. We could only imagine what the NBA postseason could have been.