Teams’ luck on the health front hasn’t improved now that the NBA playoffs have started following one of the league’s most exciting regular seasons in recent memory was partially marred by a rash of injuries.
Injuries threaten to play a pivotal role in several first-round series, including all three Game 2s on Wednesday night – Spurs at Clippers, Nets at Hawks and Trail Blazers at Grizzlies.
The defending champions are missing big man Tiago Splitter, and his replacement Aron Baynes was exploited by the Clippers in their Game 1 victory. Tony Parker is also ailing, and the Spurs were hoping to take advantage of an extra day between Games 1 and 2 to get them both on the mend.
The Hawks lost defensive specialist Thabo Sefolosha just before the playoffs after a confrontation with police in New York City and Al Horford dislocated the pinky finger on his right hand in Game 1, but plans to play through it.
And the banged-up Blazers hope to get Arron Afflalo back from a strained right shoulder that kept him out for the previous six games while LaMarcus Aldridge continues to play through a torn ligament in his left thumb for the last three months.