Derrick Rose’s injury has already been talked about at length (including by yours truly in this previous article). Kobe Bryant, after signing a massive contract and returning to the Lakers, injured himself again and is out for a while, probably flushing his team’s playoff hopes down the toilet. Russell Westbrook, after starting the season off with the assertion that he might indeed be the best guard in the game, went down with a disheartening injury that will have him out for some time. Rajon Rondo’s out too. And the latest star to head to the medical ward is Chris Paul, another one of the game’s most dynamic players.
You never like to see players go down with injury – and the flow of the NBA season has become really strange as a result. Teams that were supposed to be really good are struggling to tread water without their best players. Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum, teams that can simply string together a healthy starting lineup are over-achieving all over the place. It’s created a really interesting landscape, and one that will likely be turned on its head once some of these players start trickling back into their respective lineups come playoff time (if it’s not already too late!)
Personally, I want to see the league dynamic with everyone healthy. There are still players doing some great things, but it doesn’t quite feel fair that all these marquee players are nursing injuries. It’s been really exciting to see young players like Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard start to really break out and turn into stars in their own rights, but godammit, I want to see some real power struggles and dramatic storylines!
Sports By Rob 