The NBA is suffering somewhat of a torn Achilles epidemic, at least they are if the 2024-25 postseason is anything to go by.
Each round of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference appeared to hand another star heartbreak.
Haliburton went down in the first quarter of the NBA FinalsGettySidelined
Players who suffered season-ending Achilles injuries in the 2024-25 NBA Season
James Wiseman – Indiana PacersIsaiah Jackson – Indiana PacersDejounte Murray – New Orleans PelicansDru Smith – Miami HeatDamian Lillard – Milwaukee BucksJayson Tatum – Boston CelticsTyrese Haliburton – Indiana Pacers
First it was nine-time All-Star Damian Lillard.
Then it was Boston Celtics franchise star Jayson Tatum.
Then, third time (un)lucky, fans had to watch Tyrese Haliburton go down in the biggest game of his career, and the season – Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
All three injuries cost their respective franchises the chance to advance to the next round.
In Haliburton’s case, it cost his team, the Indiana Pacers, the chance to hoist up the Larry O’Brien trophy for the first time in Pacers history as they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The fact all three players don the #0 on their jersey led to conspiracy theorists having their say.
But the question of why the injury has become so prevalent over the last few seasons is something that must be asked, and thoroughly investigated.
With seven players suffering the injury just last season alone, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the league had already put together an expert panel to evaluate the root cause.
Some have argued it is the heavy workload on the players.
Playing 82 games in a seven-month period can certainly take its toll on the body, though Silver states that this is not the case due to the majority of Achilles injuries that have occurred over the last decade have come prior to the All-Star break.
Thunder GM Presti appeared to hit out at Commissioner Adam SilverGetty Paul George has called for teams to practice more in light of recent injuries to playersGettyHowever, Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti – whose team just won the NBA championship – appeared to be publicly challenging Silver’s comments when he stated that it was ‘insulting’ that people didn’t believe that injuries and workload correlated.
“I think the one thing we have to do is get away from the defensive nature of trying to convince people, players and teams that there’s no connection between the loads and the injuries,” Presti said.
“I think it’s — we’re kind of bordering on a level of like, it’s almost insulting.”
What is striking, though, is that some players’ perspectives believe the complete opposite is true.
In light of the shocking admission from San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle that the team had barely practiced during his rookie season, Paul George told Celtics legend Paul Pierce that he feels the players need to practice more as a preventative measure for these really serious injuries.
“It is the practice. I’ve been pushing the coach like we need to practice more,” the Philadelphia 76ers star, who is the only player left in the league from the 2010 Draft class, said on Podcast P with Paul George.
“When I came into the league, I understood what that did for the season. Yeah it was tough during the practice days. Yeah it was tough, it was a grind, but when we got in the games it was easy.”
Pierce concurred, and offered the insight that if he were to just pick up the basketball and play a game without practice, that he would likely put his body in a position to ‘strain something’.
“You have to be at a certain level and be in shape,” Pierce responded.
“Think about it. You don’t practice for two days and you just go straight into a game going 110.
“Your body’s cold, like the way you practice every day is like it’s going to help your condition for play.
“If I just get up right here and just go hoop, I’ma strain something.”
Clearly, there is an upward trend in players suffering some of the most devastating injuries that a player can sustain in basketball.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( ‘Almost insulting’ – NBA stars collide over solution to epidemic of Achilles tears that blighted season )
Also on site :