John Hefferon MD
2 min read • January 11, 2023
Posted in
The NBA has reached its midway point and All-Star voting has begun. But with the season inching closer to the All-Star break, star players’ injuries are beginning to pile up.
Anthony Davis was on track to have one of his best seasons since the Lakers won the NBA title in 2020. He was averaging 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. But a bone spur fractured off the navicular bone in his right foot, and a stress reaction has made him miss the team’s last 13 games.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Davis is beginning the ramp-up process, which will involve aquatic pool workouts and running on an altered-gravity treadmill to keep the big man's full weight off his foot while it continues to heal.
Davis’s next 2-3 weeks will be critical in his rehab.
Bulls star forward DeMar DeRozan was dribbling toward the high post, which is his favorite place to score, when he fell with the ball in agony. DeRozan rolled around on the floor, grabbing his right leg. He told his head coach Billy Donovan what happened on that scary play.
“He felt like he strained [his quad] when he went back down,” Donovan said.
DeRozan suffered an injury to his right quadriceps, and his return could vary from 1-6 weeks based on the severity of the injury.
Stephen Curry, a two-time MVP, returned to action on Tuesday night against the Suns. This was the first time Curry played since injuring his left shoulder against the Pacers on Dec. 14th.
Since the injury wasn’t to a lower extremity, Curry could stay in shape while rehabbing his injured shoulder.
In his first game back from injury, he played 31 minutes and shot 8-22 from the field. He has a chance of recurrence and could require surgery if his left shoulder subluxes again.
Shooting should not be an issue, but he will likely need to be cautious on defense and when rebound to avoid reinjury.
Raptors forward Otto Porter signed a 2-year $12.3 Million deal in July. Since signing the contract, he’s played eight games for the team with a left foot injury.
The team announced Monday that Porter would undergo season-ending surgery on his left foot. The season will end in January for the 2022 NBA champion.
Javonte Green is one of the most athletic players in the league when he sees the ball in the air. His emphatic slams lift the Bulls fans out of their seats.
But the athletic forward was announced to have undergone an arthroscopic debridement surgery in his right knee. He will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks.
The Bulls will now be without Lonzo Ball, Green, and DeMar DeRozan for the foreseeable future.
Written by John Hefferon MD
