NBA Power Rankings: The Biggest Injury Facing Each NBA Team Down the Stretch
Approaching the last 20 games of the regular season, teams are battling each other for top seeds and final playoff spots.
The playoff race is still wide open, with five teams from each conference vying for the eighth and final seeds.
Playoff-bound teams are, for the most part, playing their best ball of the season. They are playing fully up to their potential and their new additions have a couple of weeks under their belts with their new teams.
However, teams face injury issues the entire year. None hurt more than now, though, during each team's playoff run.
Here are current injuries from each team that could hurt their chances during the final stretch.
Sacramento Kings
1 of 30
The Kings are not playing for a playoff seed. It seems like they are playing for the No. 1 pick in the draft.
Their best player, Tyreke Evans, has been out since Feb. 15 with plantar fasciitis.
The Kings are 2-10 in Evans' absence. He is considered week-to-week with his foot injury.
Do not expect the Kings to rush Evans back. They are on pace to have a good lottery pick.
Minnesota Timberwolves
2 of 30
Besides Jonny Flynn being out for over a month to start the season, Michael Beasley is the only big 'Wolf to miss significant time this season.
Beasley and Kevin Love lead the team, averaging over 40 points per night.
Beasley is averaging career highs and is having a breakout season in his first year in Minnesota.
He seems to be fully recovered from the ankle sprain he suffered in January.
Los Angeles Clippers
3 of 30
The Clippers have had an injury plagued season.
Randy Foye, Baron Davis and now Eric Gordon have missed significant time this season.
Gordon had a wrist injury in January that required surgery. He then came back too soon and re-aggravated it this past week.
Gordon is the Clippers' leading scorer. It is unfortunate that the Clippers keep getting injuries.
This is a young team that has a lot of talent if they are all healthy.
Golden State Warriors
4 of 30
Stephen Curry has been playing with an ankle injury pretty much the entire season.
He sprained it in October and has re-aggravated it several times since then.
The amazing thing is that Curry has not missed very significant time. He has only missed eight games.
Curry is averaging scarily similar numbers to his rookie season. That is not a bad thing though. He had a great rookie year.
Houston Rockets
5 of 30
Yao Ming's injury is unfortunate and obvious by now. He will not be coming back this season, so he was not considered for this list.
Luis Scola has turned into the go-to guy on this team, along with Kevin Martin.
Scola is day-to-day right now with a sore knee. He has missed one game and has not practiced since he suffered the injury last week.
He has been playing through pain for a while now. This week Scola just had enough. Keep checking his status for upcoming games.
Utah Jazz
6 of 30
Mehmet Okur has only played in 13 games this season. He has been suffering from lower back pain.
Three years removed from being an All-Star, Okur's numbers have been steadily declining.
Okur started the season on hurt. He then tried to play midseason and re-injured himself.
Utah is 3-7 in its last 10 games. After the Deron Williams trade, it seems the Jazz gave up their playoff hopes for this season.
Phoenix Suns
7 of 30
Fresh off a game-winner, Channing Frye had to leave a game last week with a separated shoulder.
Frye has been a key part of Phoenix's success this season. He has been an integral part of a veteran team for the past two seasons.
Steve Nash has also been playing through a pelvic injury and his poor performance is not helping the cause.
Nash is the engine that drives this team. If he has to miss time, count the Suns out of the hunt.
Memphis Grizzlies
8 of 30
The tandem of Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph makes the Grizzlies playoff contenders.
Gay however, has been out with a separated shoulder since Feb. 15. Memphis has been without Gay's 20 points and six boards a night.
The Grizz have gone 5-4 since his injury to keep them at the eighth seed.
Gay should return soon and look for the Grizzlies to move up a spot or two in the standings.
New Orleans Hornets
9 of 30
Concussions are scary injuries. Chris Paul could be out for a couple games or he could be out for an extended period of time after suffering one Mar. 6.
Paul is listed as day-to-day, but hopes to play today against the Kings.
Paul is the team's leader and is one of the best point guards in the league.
His extended absence might hinder the Hornets playoff chances.
Portland Trail Blazers
10 of 30
Coming off two knee surgeries, Brandon Roy is finally getting back into the Blazers rotation.
His numbers since returning have been very limited. Roy has been the team's best player for the past four seasons.
However, even when healthy and playing, Roy has been a disappointment this season.
If the Blazers want to make the next step, they need a healthy Brandon Roy and the player he was his first four seasons with the team.
Denver Nuggets
11 of 30
Having only played two games with his new team, Danilo Gallinari has shown he is a key piece to their new-look team.
He averaged 16 points in his first two games since being traded in the Carmelo Anthony deal.
Gallinari has missed the past five games with a fractured toe. He is listed as day-to-day and could return next week.
The Nuggets are playing much better team ball without Anthony. This new Denver team looks to move up and perhaps get home-court advantage in the first round.
Oklahoma City Thunder
12 of 30
Without even playing one game with the Thunder, Kendrick Perkins may be the most important injured player to his team.
The Thunder gave up young Jeff Green and a first-round pick in order to establish some frontcourt size at the deadline.
The Thunder had a rough stretch right after the trade losing three straight.
When Perkins comes back from his MCL injury, the Thunder will have the interior presence they have been lacking for a few years now.
Perkins has returned to practice and is close to returning.
Los Angeles Lakers
13 of 30
Whenever you are talking about the Lakers and injuries, you have to talk about Andrew Bynum and how well he is holding up.
Bynum has been having trouble with his knees for the past few seasons. The Lakers have had to play without his services for key times, including the playoffs.
Bynum was out for the first month and half of the season after having surgery.
Since coming back, he has looked healthy and is putting up terrific numbers.
Dallas Mavericks
14 of 30
Caron Butler is one of the biggest losses for any team this season.
Butler has been ruled out for the rest of the regular season with a ruptured patella tendon. His status for the playoffs is still uncertain.
Since coming over from Washington last year, Butler has been a fixture in the Dallas offense. He and Dirk Nowitzki provide the team with the scoring and leadership.
If Dallas is to have any chance this postseason, they need Butler to return.
San Antonio Spurs
15 of 30
The Spurs have the best record in the West.
They have a great veteran team, but one main reason they have that record is because they have not had any players miss significant time this season.
No one is reported on the team's injury report, and Tony Parker seems fully recovered from his calf contusion.
One worry could be Tim Duncan's left knee. He hurt it earlier in the season, but did not miss significant time.
Duncan, 34, is getting up there in age. The Spurs hope he has another playoff run in him.
Cleveland Cavaliers
16 of 30
The Cavs season has been one to forget. A year after LeBron James ditched the city, Cleveland looks to hit the 20-win mark by season's end.
One reason for their struggles has been the absence of Anderson Varejao. Varejao has been out since January with a torn ankle tendon. He is likely out for the rest of the season.
Varejao was Cleveland's only reliable big man inside. He has a great work ethic and really gets after it each night.
J.J. Hickson has really picked up the slack in the absence of Varejao. He is having a great year.
Washington Wizards
17 of 30
Rashard Lewis has not played well recently since he got traded to Washington in the Gilbert Arenas deal.
The past month he has been limited by a sore right knee. He has missed the past two games and may miss the rest of the season according to Yahoo! Sports.
Washington is fading fast having lost nine of its last 10.
The only bright spot for the team has been Nick Young. He is having his best season and is averaging 18 points a night.
Toronto Raptors
18 of 30
The Raptors are another team that does not have much to look forward to besides the draft.
DeMar DeRozan has turned into a star, however.
In order for the team to improve, the Raptors need to find stability at the point guard position. Jose Calderon is a decent player, but Toronto needs Jerryd Bayless to reach his potential.
A former top 15 pick, Bayless has vastly underachieved and has been a disappointment now for three different teams.
Bayless has had multiple injuries this season including knee and ankle injuries. In order to improve and reach his original potential, Bayless needs to get fully healthy.
New Jersey Nets
19 of 30
Anthony Morrow showed no lingering signs of the concussion he suffered after dropping 22 points in his first game back.
It was only a mild concussion that Morrow suffered, so he should be good for the rest of the season.
Morrow also missed significant time earlier this year with a hamstring injury.
Morrow goes on streaks for the Nets. One night he is lights out and then the next night he is nowhere to be found.
Detroit Pistons
20 of 30
The Pistons have gone from one of the mainstays in the East to one of its cellar dwellers in just a few years.
Their core group of players is growing older. That group includes players like Richard Hamilton, who had been out for over a month with a groin injury.
Since returning, Rip has averaged 14.2 points a night and reached 20 twice.
With NJ making a playoff run, it is tough to imagine that Rip and the Pistons can stay ahead of them.
Milwaukee Bucks
21 of 30
Michael Redd has not played yet this season after having knee surgery. He is scheduled to return by the end of March.
With Redd's return, the Bucks could sneak into the playoffs as the eighth seed.
Milwaukee will be a tough matchup for any team in the playoffs if Redd can return to his All-Star form and he remains healthy.
The Bucks have multiple scorers including John Salmons, Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut.
Charlotte Bobcats
22 of 30
Stephen Jackson has just returned after missing three games because of a hamstring injury.
He showed no effects of it still hurting him as he scored 29 in his return.
Jackson's hamstring had been bothering him for a while, and it looked like resting it for a week was the best thing for him.
The only chance Charlotte has at the eighth seed is if Jackson continues to have one of his best seasons and, of course, stays healthy.
Indiana Pacers
23 of 30
Mike Dunleavy broke his thumb late in February and is out until at least mid-April.
Dunleavy is averaging 11 and four for the currently eighth-seeded Pacers.
Indiana has had quite a surprising season. They started out on fire and then had a bad cold streak.
They currently still stand as the eighth seed, but multiple teams will be chasing them down the stretch.
Dunleavy's hopeful return should help Indiana hold off those teams.
Philadelphia 76ers
24 of 30
The Sixers have been very lucky this year. They have not lost many players to injuries throughout the year.
The only starter to miss significant time has been Andre Iguodala. He was going through a bad two months with his right Achilles tendon.
Iguodala, who rarely misses games, had to miss over 10 games this season because of the injury.
Philadelphia has been one of the hottest teams as of late and has been playing very well the past two months.
They are a team that is climbing up the East standings. If they want to keep it up, Iguodala needs to be 100 percent.
New York Knicks
25 of 30
Most New York fans are praising Knicks management for bringing Carmelo Anthony to New York.
They should also be ecstatic that they received Chauncey Billups in the deal.
Billups will be the key to the Knicks success.
Anthony will be the scorer, but Billups will become the leader. He is one of the more clutch players in the game and will decide whether or not the Knicks advance past the first round.
The Knicks need him back and he is expected to return soon after missing the past six games with a thigh injury.
Atlanta Hawks
26 of 30
Josh Smith has been battling knee problems the entire season. His right knee has kept Hawks fans nervous.
He has yet to miss any significant time or games due to the knee injury, however.
Smith plans to play out the season with the pain and not rest up for the playoffs.
Smith and Al Horford provide the post presence for the Hawks, with Josh averaging over 16 and eight.
Orlando Magic
27 of 30
Hedo Turkoglu had to leave last Friday's game with an elbow injury. However, he did not miss any time and, in fact, is having a great span of games.
He just had 24 points in an OT thriller and a game-winning shot.
Turkoglu is rediscovering his role on the Magic during his second stint with the team.
The Magic need Turkoglu down the stretch and hopefully he does not have to miss any time because of the sore elbow.
Miami Heat
28 of 30
The Heat have one of the best records in the NBA. However, they own just a 15-19 record against teams with a record above .500.
One reason why they cannot beat the better teams is because of their frontcourt depth.
They really do not have a center who can play with guys like Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard.
One player that should return by the playoffs is Udonis Haslem. He has been out since November with a torn ligament in his left foot.
Haslem is not a true center, but should be able to provide some depth along the frontcourt.
Chicago Bulls
29 of 30
Carlos Boozer has been out for the past two games with a sprained left ankle. He is not expected to play tonight, but should return by the end of the week.
Boozer is the second-leading scorer on a team that is a half game back of the first-place Celtics.
Boozer has struggled this year with staying healthy. He has been limited to only 46 games. He started out the year on the injury report with a broken hand.
Boston Celtics
30 of 30
After trading away Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics traded away their only true center currently in their rotation.
Since his departure, Glen Davis has stepped into a much bigger role.
Davis has been out since early March with patellar tendinitis. The Celtics have lost to the Sixers and the Clippers in his absence.
Especially with Shaquille O'Neal out, the Celtics now lack a big man, and especially frontcourt depth.
If Davis and O'Neal both are healthy come playoff time, the Celtics will be the team to beat out of the East.
