David Stern and the NBA execs should consider putting Jackie Stallone on the payroll. Maybe Sly’s mom, a Hollywood psychic, can explain why the stars are misaligned for the league’s best and brightest. Even better, maybe she can help the NBA’s best and brightest from hobbling onto the injury report.
Whether it’s pure coincidence or a byproduct the lockout, and the ensuing shortened season, injuries have seriously altered the playoffs. A chaotic season of trade demands and feuding saw Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard seemingly attempt to emulate his drama queen “Basketball Wife” (aka baby mama) Royce Reed. Of course, after all the drama persisted and the playoffs neared, Howard’s back caved in under the weight of expectations and he was forced to miss the entire playoffs due to a herniated disc. Without Howard in the lineup, the Pacers made quick work of the Magic, dispatching them in five games.
Next, the uber-deep, top-seeded Chicago Bulls got a visit from the gremlins who got Howard. The Bulls were expected to once again do battle with the Miami Heat to determine who would emerge out of the East. But in Game 1, the team who tied for the league’s best regular-season record took one to the chin, well actually the knee, as former league MVP Derrick Rose crashed to the floor in agony after tearing both his ACL and MCL. To make matters worse, Rose was not only knocked out for the remainder of the playoffs, he’ll likely miss part of next season due to a long recovery process.
With tremendous depth, the Bulls still hoped to rally together and advance in the playoffs, but Joakim Noah’s sprained ankle put an end to Bulls’ playoff quest as they were upset by the 8th seeded Philadelphia 76ers.
Once the pesky Bulls were out of the picture, the Miami Heat must have had expectations of waltzing into the Finals. The last real threat were the old guys in Boston. Sure the grizzled vets are playing well and Kevin Garnett seems to have raided the fountain of youth, but do they really have a chance against the younger, faster, strong squad from Miami? If they didn’t before, they will now.
The Heat became the latest victim of the playoff plague with Chris Bosh went down indefinitely with an abdominal strain. Ouch. Sure, with LeBron James and Dwayne Wade on the court, the Heat definitely have the star power to recover from the loss. But with word that Bosh may be forced to sit out the rest of the playoffs, the Heat now have a gaping hole to fill in the paint since the guys playing behind Bosh couldn’t make the church league all-star squad.
For now, Celtics players are clinging to their lucky clovers in hopes of avoiding the contagious calamity going around the league. Paul Pierce’s knee is delicate and Rajon Rondo suffered a Game 2 scare versus the 76ers after a hard fall. But neither issue as proved serious…yet.
Maybe this is all penance for the league’s greed-driven lockout. The physical toll from the grueling, compacted season has been notable. Meanwhile the league is being punished by each superstar injury. The ultimate punishment could be a small market finals with the Oklahoma City Thunder versus the Indiana Pacers. No, it’s not likely, but stranger things have happened. One thing is clear, as each game unfolds in the East, the big question has now become ‘who’s next?’ Whomever emerges from the pack may not be the best team, but rather than last one standing – literally.
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