Breaking Down the Injuries to the Warriors Front Court
- Post By: Jeff Stotts
- Date:
- Category: Break Down, NBA
As the race for the final four Western conference playoff spot enters the stretch run, injuries could go a long way to determining the fate of each team. The six seeded Warriors trail the Blazers for the fifth seed by two games but only have a 1.5 game lead over the ninth place Suns. The Warriors face the Mavericks on Tuesday, the team directly behind them in the standing. Unfortunately for Golden State their frontcourt is suddenly sparse as the team will be without Andrew Bogut and David Lee.
Bogut is expected to miss at least a week after suffering a pelvic contusion following a collision with Memphis center Marc Gasol. Gasol’s knee appeared to catch Bogut in the groin and the Aussie center soon limped off the court. The next day he took to Twitter to assure his fans everything in that region was ok and functioning well but the diagnosis of a pelvic contusion is equally as painful and problematic.
The region known as the pelvis is comprised of both bone and muscle. The skeletal structure of the pelvis is created by the two hip bones and the final two segments of the spine, the sacrum and the coccyx. Each hip bone is made up of three fused bones, the ilium, ischium, and pubis. The musculature of the area includes the muscles of abdominal wall as well as the intrinsic and lower back muscles. Both the muscles and bones of the area can be bruised and contused and judging by the description it sounds like Bogut’s injury could involve both.
A pelvic contusion to the bone is often referred to as a hip pointer, particularly if the damage occurs to the iliac crest of the hip. The cluneal nerve of the body runs along this ridge and can illicit extreme pain following a direct impact. Damage to the area can also result in muscle dysfunction leading to physical limitation and spasm in the neighboring muscles. For a player with a history of back issues, including back spasms in the preseason, Bogut will have to be particularly cautious with his return. The 10-day recovery window is realistic but don’t be surprised if the Warriors medical team elects to give him more time, especially if the team can pick up a few wins without him.
Lee remains hampered by a hamstring strain on his right leg that occurred in the fourth quarter of the team’s March 22 loss to the Spurs. While Lee does not have a history of hamstring problems, he does have a red flag that could potentially complicate his recovery. During last year’s postseason Lee suffered a torn right hip flexor. He attempted to play through the injury but ultimately needed surgery to repair the damage. Lee rehabbed the injury and reported to camp in top shape. The hip flexor has not been an issue this season but his current hamstring strain could change that.
The hamstring and hip flexors are antagonists, meaning they work against each other. However there is a level of codependence here and a limitation in one can have a direct impact on the other. A tight hip flexor can result in an elongated hamstring and a limited hamstring can overwork the hip flexors. The medical team of the Warriors is likely well aware of this relationship and will take the necessary steps to insure a cascade injury does not occur. However Bogut’s absence may force Lee back into action a tad bit ahead of schedule, elevating his inherent risk of injury. Lee traveled with the team to Texas but isn’t expected to play against Dallas.
Head athletic trainer JoHan Wang has his hands full managing these injuries and insuring they do not cause problems in other areas of the body. His success could ultimately shape the Western Conference landscape, determining both seeding and first round matchups. Veteran Jermaine O’Neal and forward Marreese Speights will fill in for the injured starters.