Entering the 2013 NBA playoffs, the potential storylines were as endless as the simmering anticipation of sports fans.
Can the Heat D-Bo its way through the playoffs once again on the broad shoulders of the LeBron James? Can Carmelo Anthony and the star-studded Knicks bring a long-awaited trophy to Madison Square Garden? Are Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook finally ready to ascend to the mountain top? Are the Nuggets and Pacers for real?
Sadly, almost as soon as the playoffs began, the storyline changed and for many fans anticipation turned into disappointment and disbelief.
One by one, bona fide NBA stars went down like the cast in a Final Destination film. The casualty list looks like an All-Star ballot. Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Danilo Gallinari, Danny Granger and Rajon Rondo have missed the playoffs completely with serious injuries.
Westbrook was his usual disruptive, attacking, hard-to-guard self before a knee injury simultaneously put the remainder of his season and the Thunder’s title hopes in serious jeopardy.
The Warriors’ David Lee played one playoff game before a bad hip shortened his trip and forced him to trade in his jersey for a suit and tie for the remainder of the postseason.
While an Amare Stoudamire injury is certainly not breaking news, the athletic big man has yet to suit up for the Knicks this postseason.
Other impact players that have been hampered or limited by injuries this postseason include Dwayne Wade, Joakim Noah, Jeremy Lin, Manu Ginobili, Steve Nash, Kevin Garnett, Kenneth Faried and others.
The carnage has been insane. Of course the fact that nearly every team has been affected should quiet down any talk of asterisks or championship disclaimers.
Lakers, Bulls and Nuggets fans will take turns arguing who was hit hardest. They each have strong arguments.
Bryant is the unquestioned leader for the Lakers and willed the dysfunctional team to a late playoff run, but they never had a realistic title shot anyway. When is the last time a seventh seed won a NBA championship? Never.
The Bulls played the entire season without Rose, an MVP-caliber player. His presence would instantly elevate his team into a contender, but only when at strength both physically and mentally. His drawn-out public comeback flirtations certainly revealed that neither is presently the case.
Gallinari and Faried certainly command less star power than Bryant and Rose, but were just as important to the success of their team’s superstar-less squad.
Now the rash of late-season injuries have both analysts and league executives trying to figure out how to prevent injuries from marring the playoffs in the future.
Is the grind of an 82-game season too much? Is play getting too physical? Do training habits need to change? Should coaches be allowed to rest their players throughout the season without fear of fines and repercussions from the league?
I must say, as someone who grew up watching basketball in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, the physicality of the sport today pales in comparison to those times. The Knicks, Pistons and Celtics of old often mauled opponents with reckless abandon. Fouls that would warrant a flagrant-2 in today’s game were simply considered good, hard fouls back in the day. So I dismiss that aspect as nonsense.
Also, less games means less revenue, so while a shortened season is actually not a bad idea, I wouldn’t bet a bucket of nickels that we’ll see it happen anytime soon. That means the solution lies somewhere in altered training and player resting protocols.
Top MLB players get a night or two off every few weeks to help with the brutal 162-game season. NFL teams routinely rest star players during preseason, blowouts and once playoff berths are secured. Even hockey clubs routinely rotate their goalies in effort to keep them fresh and injury-free.
So while Greg Popovich and the Spurs were penalized for sending star players home to rest mid-season and the Heat were soundly criticized for sitting James and others down the stretch, those may be ideas the league needs to open up to. After all, I’d rather see my favorite players in a suit and tie on a random, meaningless Wednesday night game in December if it will increase the chances of them being suited up on the court in April, May and June.
Follow Ishmael H. Sistrunk and In the Clutch on Twitter @IshmaelSistrunk and on Google+.
