Injuries Take A Starring Role In 2012 Playoffs
With horrific injuries spelling an early end to the season for Derrick Rose and Iman Shumpert, let's take a look at the other 14 playoff teams to see how a missing player may mean the difference between a Finals appearance and a first-round exit.
- Heat: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade enter the playoffs healthier than usual thanks to some much needed rest during the final week of the regular season. The Heat stand to benefit the most from Shumpert and Rose's injuries as a sweep against the Knicks means less of a challenge for Wade on the offensive end and an easier path to winning a title. Look for the Heat to advance to at least the Finals if they can duplicate the success they enjoyed during the first half of the season.
- Pacers: The Pacers are injury-free heading into Game 2 against the Magic, who pulled off the upset Saturday evening in Indiana. Utilizing seven-foot-two center Roy Hibbert's size to their fullest advantage will be key for the Pacers as their big man only managed to score eight points but blocked nine shots as he dominated the paint defensively. With Dwight Howard on the shelf for the entirety of the playoffs, the Magic are severely undersized with six-foot-nine Glen Davis taking over at center for Superman.
- Celtics: Ray Allen is expected to miss Game 1 in Atlanta against the Hawks as he battles bone spurs in his right ankle. If the Celtics had missed the playoffs, Allen would have undergone surgery immediately to help alleviate the pain. The Celtics will turn to Avery Bradley and his burgeoning reputation as a solid three-point shooter for the majority of the series as Allen's status remains unknown.
- Hawks: The center position has been an area of concern for the Hawks with Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia currently sidelined with injuries. Horford, who has been out since January 11 with a torn left pectoral muscle, will miss the entire first round of the playoffs but may be able to return if the team advances. A foot injury to Pachulia that caused him to miss the team's last seven games will force the Hawks to rely on Jason Collins in order to solidify their frontcourt.
- Magic: The Magic's chances of making a run in the playoffs took a huge hit when Howard called it a season in mid-April as he elected to undergo surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back. Without Howard, the Magic will feature an undersized frontcourt against a much larger Pacers squad. Much uncertainty surrounds the future of the franchise given Howard's impending free agency in 2013 and his desire to replace head coach Stan Van Gundy.
- Sixers: Aside from rookie center Lavoy Allen spraining his thumb in Game 1, the Sixers feature a healthy roster as they return to action Tuesday night against the Bulls. With Rose out for the remainder of the series, the Sixers will look to capitalize on the perimeter as Lou Williams, Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner should benefit from having to guard John Lucas III rather than the league's reigning MVP.
- Spurs: After a series of injuries cost Manu Ginobili nearly half the season, the Spurs enter the playoffs with a fresh roster looking to make a title run. Future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, 36, played a career-low 28.2 MPG this season but is still performing at a high level. The addition of Stephen Jackson at the trade deadline along with the subtraction of Richard Jefferson may be enough to lead the Spurs to their fifth title under Gregg Popovich.
- Thunder: James Harden returned to action on Saturday night against the Mavs after missing his last two games with a concussion suffered against the Lakers last Sunday. He appeared to be completely recovered as he scored an efficient 19 points in 35 minutes of the bench. Beyond Harden, the Thunder lost backup point guard Eric Maynor for the season due to a torn ACL in January, but remedied the situation by signing veteran Derek Fisher to a contract in March.
- Lakers: A healthy Andrew Bynum and a rested Kobe Bryant may allow for the under-the-radar Lakers to make a run in the wide-open Western Conference playoffs. While not an injury, Los Angeles will be without Metta World Peace for the first six games of the playoffs due to suspension.
- Grizzlies: Memphis lost Darrell Arthur for the season after the power forward suffered a torn Achilles tendon in practice back in December. A healthy Zach Randolph has played himself back into shape after missing time earlier this season due to a knee injury.
- Clippers: Many critics expected the Clippers to implode after Chauncey Billups went down on February 6 with a torn Achilles tendon. While the Clippers slipped to the fifth seed, they reinvented the image of the franchise and gained respect from around the league thanks to MVP-like play from Chris Paul.
- Nuggets: After spending the majority of the season abroad in China, Wilson Chandler returned to Denver for a brief stint before suffering a season-ending injury to his hip in mid-April. The Nuggets will open against the Lakers without Rudy Fernandez, who had surgery on his lower back in March to end his season.
- Mavericks: A healthy Mavs squad will face a difficult journey in defending their title as they open the playoffs against the Thunder. Saturday night saw a missed opportunity by Dallas to steal Game 1 on the road as they lost in Oklahoma City by the score of 99-98. Any chance of exploiting Harden's concussion was nullified with a strong performance by the Sixth Man of the Year candidate.
- Jazz: Small forward C.J. Miles may miss the start of the playoffs against the Spurs with a strained calf. The team will look for strong production out of star Al Jefferson, who had the opportunity to rest late last week as the center only played limited minutes in the team's regular season finale.
Shumpert’s Injury May Impact Knicks’ Offseason
The Knicks lost rookie guard Iman Shumpert for the remainder of the season as the former Georgia Tech star tore the anterior cruciate ligament and the lateral meniscus in his left knee on Saturday against the Heat, writes Howard Beck of The New York Times. Shumpert, 21, faces six to eight months of recovery time which will impact his offseason development and could potentially delay his start to the 2012/2013 season. Already thin in the backcourt after Jeremy Lin tore his left meniscus earlier this spring, the Knicks will have to make adjustments heading forward in the playoffs and during the offseason to help stabilize the shooting guard position.
Billed as the Knicks' premier perimeter defender, Shumpert's absence will make the uphill battle of upsetting the Heat an even more arduous task as play resumes with Game 2 on Monday in Miami. Shumpert, one of the league's leaders in steals per game, was tasked with guarding Dwyane Wade, a responsibility that will now fall on either Landry Fields or J.R. Smith, whom the Knicks prefer to bring off the bench as the sixth man. Shumpert, the Knicks first-round pick in 2011, missed seven games due to injuries over the course of his debut season at the Garden in which the Knicks went 2-5.
Looking ahead to the offseason, the Knicks face a series of decisions surrounding the future of their backcourt with up to five guards potentially heading elsewhere for the 2012/2013 season. Lin and Fields will be restricted free agents while veteran point guards Mike Bibby and Baron Davis are set to become unrestricted free agents this summer. Smith, who holds a player option for next season at $2.5MM, is the most likely player to leave the Knicks as he should be able to command a heftier contract on the free agent market.
Unless Davis enjoys a complete career renaissance over the course of the playoffs, look for the Knicks to place a high priority on re-signing Lin given his strong performance this season, age (24 in August) and marketability. Bibby should be a cheap option for the Knicks to consider bringing back as his play has been inconsistent in the limited opportunities he's been afforded over the course of the season. The Knicks hold Fields' Early Bird rights, which means the Knicks can offer Fields up to 175% of the league's average salary for up to four years without having to use their mid-level exception.
Prince Wants Pistons To Sign Veteran Point Guard
Pistons veteran forward Tayshaun Prince recently stated his desires for the franchise to acquire a veteran point guard as the team heads into the offseason, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. The former Kentucky star said he wants rookie and fellow former Wildcat Brandon Knight to have a seasoned player at his position who can mentor him as he heads into his second season. Knight, 20, enjoyed a strong debut as he averaged 12.8 PPG, 3.8 APG and 3.2 RPG in 60 starts for the Pistons.
"There can be times that me and Ben Wallace can mentor and help him out and whatnot, but I think if you have a point guard that's been through the wars, he can help him out a little bit better than we can."
Ellis suggests that the Pistons may elect to use their mid-level exception to sign an experienced point guard as a relatively deep crop of free agents at the position are set to become available this summer. Raymond Felton and Chauncey Billups should be considered among the most viable options for the Pistons as Steve Nash, still a prized signing at 38, would be unlikely to go from one rebuilding effort to another as his career winds down. Beyond Knight, the Pistons employed journeyman Will Bynum and 29-year-old rookie Walker Russell as backup point guards for the 2011/2012 season.
Odds & Ends: Skiles, Griffin, Colangelo, Pierce
With great anticipation of the weekend ahead full of playoff basketball, let's take a look around the league to see what's happening from coast to coast.
- Count Brandon Jennings and Mike Dunleavy Jr. among Bucks players hoping head coach Scott Skiles is retained by Milwaukee after just missing out on making the playoffs, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com says Blake Griffin expects the playoffs to be more physical as the Clippers head into their first-round series against the Grizzlies.
- Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo is excited to continue the process of rebuilding the franchise after carefully adhering to his long-term plan, reports Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun.
- Paul Pierce tells ESPNBoston.com's Jackie McMullan that the thought of retirement has crossed his mind after playing 14 seasons for the Celtics.
- ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin says Lakers executive vice president of player personnel Jim Buss is over the heartbreak of losing out on Chris Paul to the Clippers this past offseason.
- Newsday's Al Iannazzone reports Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire are working to improve how they co-exist on the court after incessant chatter from the media and fans finally drew their attention.
Magic Notes: Davis, Bench, Turkoglu
The Magic will limp into the playoffs as the sixth seed after Dwight Howard suffered a herniated disk in his back to prematurely end his season. Many pundits have the Pacers easily dismantling the injury-riddled Magic in the first round to send them into an offseason of uncertainty given Howard's desire to play elsewhere and head coach Stan Van Gundy's unknown status. Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel has the latest news surrounding the Magic as their series gets underway on Saturday in Indianapolis.
- The offseason acquisition of Glen Davis from the Celtics appeared to be a bust when he was suspended by the Magic for conduct detrimental to team in February, but the former LSU star has turned heads with his strong play in April. After Howard's season came to a close, Davis was afforded the opportunity to start and demonstrated his ability by averaging 16.4 PPG and 8.8 RPG over his last 12 games. Currently struggling with an ankle sprain, the six-foot-nine Davis will be at a severe height disadvantage when he matches up with the Pacers' Roy Hibbert, who checks in at seven-foot-two.
- Van Gundy will need to see strong contributions out of lesser-known bench players if the Magic seek to be competitive against the much deeper Pacers. Earl Clark and Daniel Orton are two names that Van Gundy will have to reluctantly call upon to keep his starters fresh throughout the series. Orton, 21, provides size at six-foot-ten, but has never played in a playoff game after failing to see any action during his entire rookie season of 2010/2011.
- The Magic are playing coy with Hedo Turkoglu's status heading into Game 1 against the Pacers. Van Gundy knows whether the former first-round pick will start, but refuses to offer any clues to the media, and in turn, the Pacers. Now in his second stint with the Magic, Turkoglu offers the team size at the small forward position against a Pacers squad chuck full of big bodies.
Mavs Links: Defense, Minutes, Ibaka
After winning the NBA championship last season against the Heat, the Mavericks will begin their title defense Saturday on the road against the Thunder. The Mavericks fell to the seventh seed after losing four out of their last six games to close out the season. Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News has the latest out of Dallas with a series of updates from Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle.
- Defense will be a key for the Mavs if they want to contain the Thunder's trio of stars that guided the team to the third-highest scoring average in the league at 103.1 points per game. Carlisle wants his squad to focus on defending the Thunder as a collective unit rather than attempting to guard them individually. Fouling won't help the Mavs as the Thunder rank first in the league for both free throws made per game (21.3) and free throw shooting percentage (.806).
- Limiting the minutes of star players such as Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd will not be a consideration for the Mavs as the team looks to rely on their veterans for heavy usage throughout the playoffs. Carlisle rested Kidd the last two games of the season and decreased the 38-year-old point guard's minutes per game this season to 28.7. Nowitzki finished the season averaging 33.5 minutes per game as his time on the court decreased less than one minute from a year ago.
- The Thunder's Serge Ibaka will be a test for the Mavs' big men after a season in which the 22-year-old rising star blocked 21 shots against the Mavs in four meetings. With defensive stalwart Tyson Chandler now on the Knicks, the Mavs will rely on Brendan Haywood, Ian Mahinmi and Brandan Wright to occupy space in the paint for the team. "Our center position is going to be very important in the series, because the way they defend, our centers have got to give us activity around the basket,'' Carlisle said.
Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Knicks, Humphries
With Tyson Chandler battling the flu, the Knicks may be without their star center in Game 1 against the Heat when playoff action gets underway on Saturday in Miami. The Knicks would turn to Jared Jeffries to man the paint if the team's defensive star in unable to play. Let's take a look around the rest of the Atlantic Division to see what else is making news and headlines.
- The Celtics' continued success this season amidst injuries and setbacks can be traced to the team's tightly-knit roster, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Head coach Doc Rivers maintained a sense of calm and confidence in his squad even when the team's early season record had pundits convinced that the Celtics would struggle to make the playoffs. "I like our spirit," Rivers said. "We're showing resolve. You can see the camaraderie; it's just a good group, a good group to coach. And the future will say how good we are as a basketball team. But they're a good group to coach, and I'm a coach, so that's good."
- Newsday's Al Iannazzone says the Knicks need to see significant production out of offseason signings Baron Davis and Mike Bibby if the team hopes to be competitive against the Heat. The two veteran point guards have stepped up their play considerably in the wake of Jeremy Lin's season-ending injury, but need to continue to do so on a nightly basis heading into the playoffs. For Bibby, being a contributing factor means hitting open three-pointers, a likely scenario given the Heat's struggles defending beyond the arc, while Davis simply needs to keep himself healthy.
- The Nets are excited about the opportunity to move to Brooklyn and play in a new arena, especially unrestricted free agent Kris Humphries, who hopes to re-sign with the team, reports Nets.com's Ben Couch. "I've been to Brooklyn a lot," Humphries said. "We did a ton of stuff in the community there, and our community involvement staff and the PR team, everyone did a great job, getting us familiar with Brooklyn, helping connect us in the community, so I think we'll be able to hit the ground running, if I'm here, and for the guys who are here next year."
Blazers Notes: Crawford, Canales, Aldridge
The Blazers finished the 2011/2012 season with a record of 28-38, marking their worst winning percentage in six seasons. The team faces a busy offseason as they look to rebuild their front office, coaching staff and roster. Here's the latest news and notes from the City of Roses.
- Blazers acting general manager Chad Buchanan says the team isn't worried about Jamal Crawford's pending decision to opt out of his contract given their depth at shooting guard, tweets CSNNW.com's Chris Haynes. Buchanan points to Wesley Matthews and Elliot Williams as options to replace the former Michigan star if he elects to become a free agent. Crawford, 32, averaged 14.0 PPG and 3.2 APG in 60 games with the Blazers.
- Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge says Buchanan expects the Blazers to pick up the team's option on interim head coach Kaleb Canales for next season (via Twitter). The team has not yet announced whether Canales would continue in his role as head coach or return to his duties as an assistant. The 33-year-old former video intern went 8-15 in 23 games with the Blazers and was applauded by the front office for always maintaining a positive attitude with his players.
- LaMarcus Aldridge will undergo hip surgery on May 10 in Vail after last playing for the Blazers on April 9, tweets Golliver. Aldridge was enjoying a strong season before his injury as the former Texas big man was named to the All-Star team for the first time in his career. The 26-year-old forward had hoped to be healthy in time to play in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London but is not expected to make the final roster cut due to his injury.
- Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor thinks former Blazers head coach Nate McMillan was unfairly fired when the team dismissed him on March 15, reports Haynes. "He had two-and-a-half bad weeks and they fire him. I mean, that to me, I don't understand it. But that's, I guess, I shouldn't be in somebody else's business."
Odds & Ends: Pacers, Orton, Warriors, T-Wolves
If the Rockets beat the Hornets on Thursday, it will mark their third consecutive season of missing the playoffs while finishing with a winning record, tweets John Schuhmann of NBA.com. Let the pain of that fact sink in as we take a look around the league to catch up on the latest news and happenings.
- Now that the Pacers have clinched the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, head coach Frank Vogel needs to figure out which players he needs to rest before likely facing the Magic in the first round, writes Conrad Brunner of Pacers.com.
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel says Magic rookie Daniel Orton has taken the criticism he received from head coach Stan Van Gundy in stride as he knows he has a long way to go to becoming a contributing NBA player.
- Being out of the playoff race has allowed the Warriors to experiment with different lineups and provide extensive minutes to the team's rookies, reports the Associated Press (link via the San Jose Mercury News).
- Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports Luke Ridnour has joined Kevin Love on the list of Timberwolves starters who are being shut down for the remainder of the season.
- Monday night's game against the Sixers marks the Nets' final game in New Jersey after 35 mostly forgettable seasons, reports the Associated Press (link via NBA.com). The team will move to Brooklyn for the 2012/2013 season where they will play in the brand-new Barclays Arena.
- Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com says Sixers head coach Doug Collins wants his team to take care of business against the Nets on Monday so they no longer have to worry about the Bucks sneaking into the playoff picture.
Minor Moves: Clippers Recall Travis Leslie
We'll track today's D-League and international news here, with the latest up top:
- The Clippers have recalled Travis Leslie from the Bakersfield Jam, where he has averaged 10.2 PPG and 3.2 RPG in two separate stints this season, reports InsideHoops.com. Leslie, 20, has played in 10 games for the Clippers in which he has produced 1.4 PPG and 0.9 RPG in limited action. The former Georgia star was a 2011 second-round draft pick by the Clippers.