The 2015-16 NBA season is only 11 days old but injuries are already shaping the playoff landscape. Four teams have yet to lose a game to injury, including familiar faces like the Spurs and Raptors, last year’s injury ravaged Thunder, and the Clippers. As of November 6, the combined record of these four squads sits at 15-7. On the opposite end of the spectrum sits the Pelicans and 76ers. Both teams sport 0-5 records and have missed 24 and 25 games to injury respectively, the two highest totals in the league.
The injuries numbers for the 76ers were anticipated with centers Joel Embiid and Carl Landry both recovering from offseason surgeries and guards Tony Wroten and Kendall Marshall working their way back from ACL repairs. However, with the exception of Quincy Pondexter’s knee surgery, the majority of the injury woes for the Pelicans happened unexpectedly during the preseason or in the first five games of the year. One week before the season opener against the Warriors, starting guard Tyreke Evans underwent a debridement surgery on his right knee, his third such procedure since the 2014 offseason. His absence has been particularly impactful as the team continues to limit the early season minutes of his backcourt mate Jrue Holiday and Norris Cole remains sidelined with a high-ankle sprain suffered in mid-October.
The frontcourt has been equally decimated by injury. Centers Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca, who both spent the summer playing for their home countries in international play, have nursed lower extremity injuries throughout the start of the year and Asik remains out with a nagging calf strain. Things have only gotten worse as Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday that veteran center Kendrick Perkins is expected to miss three months with his pectoral injury.
The pectoral muscles compromise the upper portion of the chest and are most often associated with pushing exercises like the bench press. However in addition to its attachments to the sternum (breastbone) and ribcage, the pectoralis major extends across the chest and ultimately connects to the upper arm bone, the humerus. As a result the pec is able to help flex and extend the upper arm while also pulling the arm toward the body in a motion known as adduction. It also plays a part in rotating the arm.
Significant pectoral injuries are relatively uncommon in the NBA though big men appear particularly prone to the injury. Atlanta’s Al Horford has twice needed surgery to repair a torn pec and Darrell Arthur and Kwame Brown also missed extended stretches with high-grade pectoral injuries. Overall the average number of missed games for these injuries was 53 games, although each injury did require surgical intervention. As of now surgery has not been discussed with Perkins.
The rash of injuries is an unfortunate setback for a team looking to ascend into the upper echelon of the Western Conference. The problems are further frustrating as they come on the heels of a top-10 finish for fewest games missed to injury in head athletic trainer Duane Brooks’ first year on the job. For comparison’s sake, last year’s Pelicans squad didn’t lose 24 total games to injury until December 21, a total this year’s team has matched in 22 fewer outings.
The Pelicans will look to become the fifth team since the 1999-2000 season to start off 0-5 and still make the postseason. While the presence and play of Anthony Davis gives New Orleans reason for optimism, the team’s success for the remainder of the year hinges on a turnaround in overall health. Unfortunately a turning point remains difficult to envision with multiple Pelicans players still without firm recovery timelines.