NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Injuries That Will Impact Postseason
It is not only the team that is playing that best that will win in the postseason; being healthy has a lot to do with success in the NBA playoffs.
If the Los Angeles Lakers land the eighth spot in the Western Conference, they will still struggle to succeed without Kobe Bryant, who tore his Achilles with only a few games remaining in the season.
There are other teams who could also suffer immediately if key players are unable to suit up. Here is the latest buzz on injuries for impact players around the league.
Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets
Denver has put together a fantastic season to possibly get the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Unfortunately, some injuries are starting to derail their playoff hopes.
First, Danilo Gallinari tore his ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. Now it appears that Kenneth Faried will be less than full strength for the postseason.
According to the Sporting News, the Nuggets' leading rebounder suffered a sprained ankle on Sunday. The report states:
"X-rays were negative and the Nuggets announced Monday that Faried will miss the team's final two regular-season games at Milwaukee tonight and at home Wednesday against Phoenix. Faried said he plans to be back for the playoffs.
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Even if Faried plays, it is clear that the injury will affect his ability.
While Denver has as much depth as anyone in the league, the second-year player is very tough to replace. The Nuggets need him to be healthy in order to advance in the postseason.
Larry Sanders, Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks do not have a very good chance of winning their first-round matchup against the Miami Heat. Without Larry Sanders, it will be almost impossible.
Throughout the season, Sanders has been one of the best interior defenders in the league with 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. While healthy, he could take advantage of Miami's biggest weakness down low.
Unfortunately, a back injury has left him out of commission for the past few games.
According to C.F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the injury is bad enough to see more doctors in Chicago:
It is possible that Sanders will be able to play against the Heat, but he will not be as effective as usual with his back not 100 percent.
Steve Nash, Los Angeles Lakers
As long as Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol are in the lineup, the Lakers will have one of the top frontcourts in basketball. The problem is the team's lack of durability in the backcourt.
With Kobe Bryant already out, there is more pressure on Steve Nash to score from the perimeter and stretch the defense. The problem is that he might not be able to play either.
The team's official Twitter account reported that the point guard will not play in the team's final regular-season game against the Houston Rockets:
This is a must-win game for the Lakers, as a loss could allow the Utah Jazz to overtake them for the eighth seed in the West. The fact that Nash is unable to play is a huge problem.
Los Angeles should not have any confidence that his hamstring injury will improve over the next week, and the Lakers will be in huge trouble in the playoffs.
