Biggest Injuries to Monitor Throughout 2012-13 NBA Campaign

NBA teams are ready to kick of the 2012-13 season, but several of the league's biggest stars will be sidelined with injuries. 

While general managers tirelessly worked throughout the offseason to build competitive rosters, their efforts will have been in vain if key players are unable to stay healthy this season. 

Injuries to key players will have a massive effect on the power balance in the NBA this season, and here are the stars that must be monitored throughout the year. 

John Wall, PG, Washington Wizards

John Wall suffered a knee injury during the offseason, and NBA.com reported in late September that he would be out for approximately two months.

The report describes the ailment as "early stages of a stress injury," and the Washington Wizards will have to find a way to win without the star point guard. 

With Wall and rookie Bradley Beal in the backcourt, the Wizards have a young and explosive backcourt capable of lighting up the scoreboard on any night. This team has the potential to achieve surprising success as long as Wall can remain healthy. 

Eric Gordon, SG, Hornets

The New Orleans Hornets have two complementary building blocks capable of vastly improving the team this season. But the strides forward will heavily depend on how often Eric Gordon's knee allows him to be on the court. 

Gordon underwent arthroscopic knee surgery last season and ended up playing in just nine games. He is currently listed as a game-time decision for the season opener, as noted by Hornets.com's Jim Eichenhofer via Twitter. 

"

Jason Smith (shoulder) will play vs. Spurs. Eric Gordon (knee) said he is a game-time decision. EG on status: "It's hard to say right now."

— Jim Eichenhofer (@Jim_Eichenhofer) October 30, 2012"

When Gordon is playing, Hornets fans will have plenty to be excited about as they watch how he meshes with Anthony Davis. When he is on the sidelines, this team seems destined for more disappointment. 

Danny Grangers, SF, Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are a balanced team with several players capable of contributing on any given night, but losing their leading scorer is a massive blow. 

Danny Granger is "out indefinitely with soreness in his left knee," according to NBA.com's Mark Montieth. The report notes that the small forward exacerbated an injury that he suffered in the playoffs against the Miami Heat last season.

Eighty percent of NBA general managers picked the Pacers to win the Central Division, but the team will struggle to live up to expectations if it has to play without Granger, who contributed 18.7 points per game last season.   

Ricky Rubio, PG, Minnesota Timberwolves

Ricky Rubio proved last season that looking like a boy-band member and passing like Magic Johnson is an easy way to win over NBA fans. The flashy point guard was averaging 8.2 assists per game before his season ended due to a torn ACL.

He is still going through the lengthy rehabilitation process that this injury requires, and The Minneapolis Star Tribune's Jerry Zgoda notes that Rubio will likely be back on the court around Christmas. 

"

Ricky says he hopes to play sometime in December, but it might be January. Says he's taking it step by step

— Jerry Zgoda(@JerryZgoda) September 27, 2012"

The Timberwolves were emerging as a playoff contender last season before Rubio went down, and when healthy, this team certainly has a chance to make the postseason. 

Manu Ginobili, SG, San Antonio Spurs

When the San Antonio Spurs have their Big Three on the court, they are an extremely dangerous team. But as Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili have gotten older, this has become an increasingly rare occurrence. 

San Antonio Express-News Jeff McDonald reported via Twitter that Ginobili has been suffering from back spasms, and his colleague, Mike Monroe, notes the shooting guard will miss the Spurs' season opener against the New Orleans Hornets.

"

Manu Ginobili has back spasms. Will not play tonight vs Wiz.

— Jeff McDonald (@JMcDonald_SAEN) October 26, 2012"

"

@manuginobili won't travel to New Orleans for opener; back to be reassessed Thursday

— Mike Monroe (@Monroe_SA) October 29, 2012"

The Spurs cannot be counted out of the championship race when all three stars are on the floor, and Ginobili's condition will have a dramatic effect on how the Western Conference plays out this season. 

Amare Stoudemire, PF, New York Knicks

The season-opening game for the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets is one of the most hyped matchups in the coming days, but one of New York's biggest stars will be missing. 

Fox Sports reported that Amare Stoudemire will have to undergo surgery and could be out up to two months. 

The Knicks were one of the most active teams in the offseason and will enter this season with high expectations. But the star power forward's health will be vital to the team's chances of winning a playoff series for the first time in 13 years. 

Derrick Rose, PG, Chicago Bulls

Derrick Rose means as much to his team as any single player across the league. The Chicago Bulls are a contender with him in the lineup, and they are all too ordinary when he is out. 

After tearing his ACL in the first round of the playoffs, Rose continues to work his way through rehab, and the Bulls have refused to set a timetable for his return, as noted by ESPN Chicago. 

If Rose is able to play this season, it will likely be much later in the year. Tom Thibodeau's defensive schemes will be able to keep Chicago in playoff contention, and the Eastern Conference playoff picture will heavily impacted by the point guard's ability to be at full strength in time for the postseason. 

Andrew Bynum, C, Philadelphia 76ers

Injury concerns have followed Andrew Bynum throughout his career, and this has not changed since he moved to the Philadelphia 76ers. 

The All-Star center will be kept off the court until he is not experiencing any pain in his right knee, according to Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com. The injury is likely to keep him out for the season opener. 

The Sixers were an excellent defensive team last season, and adding one of the best big men in the NBA will help that trend continue as long as Bynum is able to stay on the court for the majority of the season. 

Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks were hit hard in free agency, then suffered another blow when Dirk Nowitzki went down with a knee injury. 

The power forward required arthroscopic surgery, and ESPN Dallas' Tim MacMahon originally reported a three to six week recovery period. However, NBA.com's Earl K. Snead reported via Twitter that it may take longer than that. 

"

Dirk says he isn't going to do anything on the court until the swelling goes away for good. Then he'll need a couple of weeks on the court.

— Earl K. Sneed (@EKS_MavsNBA) October 23, 2012"

The Mavericks lineup will be extremely thin until Nowitzki returns, and the team will need the star power forward to be healthy to remain relevant this season.

Kevin Love, PF, Minnesota Timberwolves

While Ricky Rubio's injury hurts the Minnesota Timberwolves, losing Kevin Love for a significant period of time would be catastrophic. 

Luckily for Minnesota, Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reports good news, and Love's broken hand—which he suffered while doing pushups—will not keep him out as long as was originally suspected. The star power forward could return by late November, according to the report. 

Love has emerged as one of the league's premier players. He is a dominant rebounder and can score from anywhere on the court, and his presence on the floor will be vital to any success Minnesota has this season. 

Dwight Howard, C, Los Angeles Lakers

Dwight Howard and the Los Angeles Lakers may be the NBA's only hope to take down the Miami Heat, but this will depend heavily on Howard's healthy. 

The league's best center ended last season early after he underwent back surgery, and he told Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register that the injury still causes him pain occasionally.

With Howard protecting the paint, the Lakers are one of the two dominant forces in basketball and will remain on a collision course with the Heat until the two meet in the NBA finals. If Howard's back issues persist, this will be a disappointing season for L.A.

Kobe Bryant, SG, Los Angeles Lakers

Dwight Howard may be the best player on the Los Angeles Lakers, but Kobe Bryant is equally important to the team's hopes at another championship. 

Bryant has dealt with a foot injury in the offseason, and although he has a history of playing through injuries like this, the Lakers will want to be careful with how often the superstar guard is used throughout the season.

Sports Illustrated's Sam Amick reported via Twitter that Bryant believes he has an 85 percent chance of playing in the season opener. 

"

Kobe Bryant says at shootaround that the odds of him playing tonight in the season opener against Dallas are "85 percent."

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) October 30, 2012"

Health will be a major concern for both Bryant and the Lakers due to the team's age. Even if this foot injury does not continue to bother Bryant going forward, there will be other nicks and ailments that hamper the 34-year-old, and L.A. will need to do everything it can to have him healthy for the playoffs.