Several NBA teams have been left sweating over the fitness of their star names ahead of the final round of NBA Play-in games, which hands teams a route to the NBA playoffs.
There is an air of uncertainty about a number of select players to ascertain whether their All-Stars will be fit or if they are ruled out – and their presence (or lack thereof) could change the title picture.
Trae Young quits on defense at critical moment and Hawks teammates turn on him
Miami Heat will be without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier for their games against the Chicago Bulls. The former suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee during the loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, and he is expected to be out for several weeks, meaning his team could be eliminated by the time he recovers.
Chicago also have their own injury problems to deal with, as Alex Caruso‘s participation is in doubt due to a high ankle sprain.
New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson continued his bad luck by injuring his hamstring in the game against the Los Angeles Lakers, after turning in the best performance of his NBA career with a return of 40 points and 11 rebounds.
The 23-year-old will miss the decisive matchup with the Sacramento Kings for the eighth seed, who will also be without shooting guard pair Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter.
Giannis Antetokoumpo injured his left calf muscle and may not be able to play for the Milwaukee Bucks in the entire first round against the Indiana, although he could feature if there is nothing to separate the two teams.
Kawhi and his injuries shrouded in mystery
Given his history of physical problems, Kawhi Leonard is also a cause for concern for the Los Angeles Clippers. He missed the last eight games of the regular season and hasn’t played since March 31, with little is known about his right knee, and with Luka Doncic‘s Dallas Mavericks up next, Kawhi’s participation in Game 1 is still an unknown.
While everyone has their share of aches and pains at this stage of the season, the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis have also been hampered in the latter stages of the campaign.
It comes after the NBA implemented its player participation policy, whereby players must participate in a minimum of 65 games to be eligible for individual awards such as MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and to make the season’s best five-team teams.
But it appears that some are struggling to meet the demands of being an NBA star after playing more games now than ever before, and it might not just be a case of bad luck.
