Injury Discussion Updates: Basketball

With the NBA Playoffs slated to start in about one month, there are a few injuries worth monitoring. While some of the players of the list have had a written “injury discussion” and some of the prognoses have not changed.

Jimmy Butler, Minnesota Timberwolves

Injury: Right meniscus

Current Prognosis: Could return for the NBA playoffs. There is a 4-6 week recovery “standard” for meniscus injuries.

My Take: He probably will try to return early, but I don’t believe he should. We won’t know how healthy his knee is and how far along his meniscus has recovered. Furthermore, we don’t know the shape he will be in and how much of a load he would have to carry if he returned as the playoffs started. I think he should just take the next months to get fully healthy and recovered and come back next season.

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chin up high. knee up higher! ill be back like I️ never left.. #watchthiscomeback

A post shared by Jimmy Butler (@jimmybutler) on Mar 10, 2018 at 2:39pm PST

DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans Pelican

Injury: Complete Tear of Achilles Tendon

Current Prognosis: Out for Season

My Take: He’ll be out for part of the next season. I wrote before, I think he’ll miss several months of the 2018-2019 NBA Season. I think it will be the smart move to take his time with recovery and come back a year from his injury and not try to rush the recovery process. There was a story by Bleacher Report that overuse and being overworked could have led to his injury.

Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors

Injury: Multiple ankle injuries

Current Prognosis: Out for next several games

My Take: His most recent injury brings his total up to 17 ankle injuries sustained over the course of his career. As I mentioned before once you sprain an ankle the ligaments and tendons are “stretched” and are naturally more lax and not as strong. The history of his ankle injuries have been well-documented. Take the next several weeks off as he continues rehabilitation. There’s no need for him to play the remainder of March.

Markelle Fultz, Philadelphia 76ers

Injury: Shoulder instability. Shoulder soreness.

Current Prognosis: Could return? The organization may be holding him out.

My Take: Through changed mechanics and his shot revamped, he currently is increasing the range from which he shoots. I’ll be honest, I have tried to find out what is wrong with his shoulder but even reports have not been able to provide complete clarity. He had changed his shooting form because of pain and hopefully now that he is out of pain he can [essentially rebuild] his entire shot which was one of the reasons he was the Number One Overall pick.

Gordon Hayward, Boston Celtics

Injury: Broken Ankle

Current Prognosis: Rumors of a potential April return, but has been stated he will not return this season. His dad said that he is not running or jumping yet, so it’s unlikely he is not playing this NBA season.

My Take: As I have stated, I think he is out of the entire NBA season, even when he first injured himself. In the article, it appears that he is still in general physical therapy and not in any sort of condition to begin the general physical preparedness stage of training.

Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs

Injury: Right Quadriceps Tendinopathy

Current Prognosis: Could return this week, after missing the beginning part of the season, taking time off because of the injury, being reported he wouldn’t play again. Interesting saga the Kawhi-Spurs, ranking behind the 76ers-Markelle drama.

My Take: While quadriceps tendinopathies can be straight forward, they may not always a traditional timeline for treatment. The focus of rehabilitation cannot be to just focus on the quadriceps but a lot of the muscles around the hip. Not just creating strength, but creating stability in the low back, hip flexors, hip adductors, hip abductors, and hip extensors.

Jeremy Lin, Brooklyn Nets

Injury: Ruptured Patellar Tendon

Current Prognosis: Out for Season

My Take: He should be available for next year’s season, since he injured himself on opening night. He does appear ahead of schedule since he has returned to the NBA court and participating in shootarounds. It was stated that he wasn’t suppose to be jumping or running until next month.

Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers

Injury: Broken bone in hand

Current Prognosis: Will return, Eight weeks from injury, mid-April.

My Take: Kevin Love will be playing in the playoffs next month. He hopes to return sooner, since he is only five weeks from his initial injury that did not require surgery. It helps that his injury was in his non-shooting hand. He is currently practicing and shooting.

Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks

Current Injury: Torn ACL

Prognosis: Out for Season. Will miss part of 2018-2019 NBA season.

My Take: No crutches! Always a good sign. He did have surgery after he torn his ACL, back in early February. He’s still in the beginning stages of physical therapy, with only one month removed from his injury. What could make his rehabilitation a challenge is that he’s 7 foot 3 inches.

Andre Roberson, Oklahoma City Thunder

Injury: Ruptured Patellar Tendon

Current Prognosis: Out for Season

My Take: He is in the very early parts of his rehabilitation. He’s embraced the slow grind. He’s still doing exercises just to activate the quadriceps and provide isometric strength to it. He’s out for another 3 months before he can return to any sort of physical activity (walking). This is going to be a slower recovery, most notable athletes to have suffered this injury: Jeremy Lin (basketball), Jimmy Graham (football), Victor Cruz (football).

John Wall, Washington Wizards

Injury: Knee debridement clean-up.

Prognosis: Six to Eight weeks from the arthroscopic knee procedure he had done in January.

My Take: His Head Coach, Scott Brooks, has already stated that he won’t be back at six weeks. Like Jimmy Butler, there’s no determination to what sort of shape he will be in when he returns. Also, he’s coming into playoff basketball off a knee procedure, while I understand when you start the playoffs you aren’t healthy and 100% but not everyone who enters the playoffs is coming off any knee surgery, eight weeks ago.