So I bought the NBA League Pass last week (already one of the smartest things I've ever done) and I was watching a Golden State Warriors game with their local broadcasters, when one of their comments just jolted me.
At various junctures throughout the game, they mentioned the absence of G/F Andre Iguodala (hamstring) and how it was affecting the overall flow of the Warriors. Then Bob Fitzgerald (play-by-play man) said:
"I know Iggy is extremely important to the team, but at some point, other guys have to step up and show some accountability."
Of course that's a very generic and mostly fair statement, but the problem is that "step up and show some accountability" is never going to become "step up and contribute as much as Iggy did before the injury."
And that's because injuries to star players derail seasons. Plain and simple. Some players are so important to a team that they cannot be replaced, therefore the team's hopes are crushed. In this post I'd like to take a look at some of the key injured players (current or recently returned) around the league, and how their absence has/had their respective teams spiraling out of control.
That logic follows through to this season, where the Thunder looked average without Westbrook in the early going and now, with him, they're 20-4 and dominating the league. I think Westbrook is the third best player in the NBA, behind LeBron James and Durant.
Deron Williams, PG, Brooklyn Nets: I can't really describe how frustrated I was when people kept asking me, "What's wrong with the Nets? What's wrong with the Nets?" when they were struggling mightily a few weeks back.
Rajon Rondo, PG, Boston Celtics: Led by outstanding rookie head coach Brad Stevens, the Celtics have been a nice story in the early going. Jeff Green is probably Boston's de facto top dog right now, but the Celtics' surprising competitiveness is largely a team effort. Avery Bradley, Brandon Bass, Jordan Crawford, Jared Sullinger, Vito Faverani, Kelly Olynyk, Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace have all chipped in in different capacities.
Derrick Rose, PG, Chicago Bulls: We all know the story at this point -- Derrick Rose is out for the season...again. Rather than re-hash the demoralizing injury situation, I'll just state the obvious:
Danilo Gallinari, SF, Denver Nuggets: Under rookie head coach Brian Shaw, the Nuggets have done a decent job fighting for position in the loaded Western Conference. For the most part, they have protected their home court and won the games they should have (with the exception of that ugly home loss to the lowly Jazz).
JJ Redick, SG, Los Angeles Clippers: After a rough opening night against the city-rival Lakers, Doc Rivers' Clippers settled into a nice early season groove. Doc was adamant about having Redick in Los Angeles with him, and JJ was definitely paying dividends until he tore ligaments in his shooting hand. As a result, the Clippers offense has been choppy -- showing up on some evenings and disappearing on others. CP3 needs JJ's floor spacing, cutting and shooting off screens. The Clippers are not a top five team in the West without Redick.
Marc Gasol, C, Memphis Grizzlies: So I'm watching NBA TV last night and Ernie Johnson and Chris Webber keep saying things like, "What's wrong with Memphis this season? Why are they struggling so much?" Hmm...well...here we go again.
Tyson Chandler, C, New York Knicks: Yes, Mike Woodson is one of the worst head coaches in the NBA. Yes, Carmelo Anthony needs some assistance on the offensive side of the floor. Yes, JR Smith has been an absolute disaster since last postseason.
Michael Carter-Williams, G, Philadelphia 76ers: Without this phenom, Philly has gone from one of the East's pleasant surprises to one of the absolute worst teams in the NBA.
Larry Sanders, C, Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks are a joke without his athleticism, shotblocking and general defensive impact. They aren't really that good with him, either.
Well, let's see...maybe the problem was that D-Will, their versatile point guard who controls the pace and tempo of the entire team and holds the Nets' long-term fate in his hands, was injured (ankle) and replaced in the lineup by Shaun Livingston, the worst perimeter-shooting point guard in the NBA.
And that seemed to be it, as the Nets have played extremely well since D-Will's return to the lineup, including quality victories over the Clippers and Celtics, and an absolute blow out of the stumbling 76ers. I fully expect the Nets to finish third in the Eastern Conference, provided D-Will and Brook Lopez remain healthy.
D-Will has Joe Johnson (10 threes last outing), Andray Blatche, Mirza Teletovic and Alan Anderson in a nice collective rhythm right now, with Paul Pierce controlling the offense during Williams' breaks. It's safe to say that Jason Kidd is officially off the hot seat.
However, the Celtics cannot reach their full potential without their star player and franchise point guard, Rajon Rondo, who has been out the entire season (ACL surgery). Bradley has been an admirable fill-in for Rajon, but he's not really a point guard. Bradley is a tenacious defender, but offensively he's more of a catch-and-shoot player than off-the-dribble playmaker for his teammates. Boston needs Rondo's facilitation if they want to contend for a middle seed in the East.
The Bulls' offense is a joke without him. They are screwed. I knew they should have retained Nate Robinson (just in case) and well, here we are. The Bulls simply cannot contend without Rose. It's another lost season. And I predicted Bulls over Thunder in the Finals...I suck.
But it's overtly clear that this isn't the explosive offense we've seen in recent years, due in large part to the absence of Gallo (knee) at small forward. Ty Lawson facilitates for Denver and Wilson Chandler, JJ Hickson, Randy Foye, Nate Robinson and Jordan Hamilton pitch in offensively, but there's no consistency to Shaw's offense. The Nuggets need Gallo's consistent 16-22 points per game on the fastbreak and in the halfcourt. They cannot hang with the Thunder, Blazers, Spurs, Rockets, Clippers or Warriors without him.
Memphis was competing in the West until Gasol, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, went down (knee). Alongside excellent point guard Mike Conley, Gasol is the most valuable two-way player on the Grizzlies. He controls the paint defensively and is an all-around contributor to Memphis' offense. They stink right now because Kosta Koufos is starting in his place. Not exactly the same caliber of player. You can't lose a guy like Marc Gasol in the West, and expect to compete at a high level.
Anthony Davis, PF/C, New Orleans Pelicans: One of the most dynamic young players in the NBA, Davis had the Pelicans looking like a formidable team before going down (broken hand). With Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson playing good ball, the Pelicans could be a 5 or 6 seed if completely healthy. However, the Davis injury has likely placed them in too deep a hole. They will probably miss the playoffs this season, unless they somehow scratch and claw for the 8-seed. If Davis can stay healthy in the future, this could be a very solid all-around team.
All of these things are true. Nevertheless, the MAIN reason for the Knicks' struggles is the absence of their best leader, defender and rebounder, Mr. Chandler. Case in point...did you see the end of their last loss to the Wizards? Bradley Beal blew by Beno Udrih and who was there to help save the game defensively?
No one.
Critics were complaining about Melo, saying he should have rotated over to the baseline -- and that's not entirely untrue -- but Melo is not a center! That shouldn't be his responsibility. Woodson should have had a true center on the floor, but that's a different story for a different day. Point is, the Knicks can't make noise in the East without Chandler -- they aren't that good! Critics should tone down the complaining. This isn't a championship-caliber team, even at full strength.
HONORABLE MENTION
That about wraps it up. Feel free to e-mail or comment.
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