Top 5 NBA Finals series since 2010 whose outcome was impacted by injuries
Injuries to players during the NBA Finals can swing the complexion of the series to the team that remains relatively healthy. The past several seasons in the NBA have proven that the championship can sometimes boil down to the team with a healthier cast. If the injuries are non-factors in any finals series, the history of the NBA could be markedly different.
Load management has been a trend in the NBA for several seasons now. Team executives would assert that the road to the NBA Finals starts with a game-fit roster. Many of the past league champions had players that were in fairly good health than their opponents, which only emphasizes how critical it is to be healthy to win a title.
Here's a look at how health has affected the outcome of championship wars in the past.
Injuries to players since the 2010 NBA Finals that were critical in deciding the championship series
#5 2009-10 Boston Celtics – Los Angeles Lakers
The Boston Celtics had a 3-2 series lead in the 2010 NBA Finals after winning Game 5. They went into Game 6 confident of adding #18 to the Celtics’ championship collection. Seven minutes into the game, Kendrick tore ligaments in his right knee. Perk averaged only 5.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks, but was instrumental in clearing the boards against Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.
Easy. Kendrick Perkins' knee injury in Game 6 of the 2010 #NBA Finals.
Losing Perk cost the #Celtics Game 7 and Banner 18. Also Danny Ainge never would have traded him for Jeff Green the following season if that injury never happened. twitter.com/otgbasketball/…
He will be sidelined for the rest of that NBA Finals. Gasol and Bynum controlled the paint and were vital cogs in securing yet another Purple and Gold championship. The ugly and messy deciding Game 7 was tailor-made for Perkins. He could have made a difference if he was on the floor at that time.
Every advantage matters in the finals and losing Perkins could have swung the momentum to Kobe and company.
#4 2012-13 Miami Heat – San Antonio Spurs
Lost in the hoopla of Ray Allen's dagger three that swung the momentum of the 2013 NBA Finals to LeBron James and the Miami Heat was the hamstring injury that Tony Parker had to play through since Game 3 of that finals. The San Antonio Spurs were very clear that if it had been in the regular season, Parker would have had to sit out for at least 10 days.
Despite that brutal Game 6 loss, the last game of the fi was a closely contested one. Who knows how the whole series would have turned out had Parker been fully fit.
Tim Duncan 5-1 in the NBA finals. Could have been 6-0 if it wasn’t for a particular shot. twitter.com/PeterBurnsESPN…
If the Spurs had beaten the Heat, Tim Duncan would have been a perfect 6-0 in the finals and LeBron James a ring short of his actual collection. These are really big what-ifs concerning giants of the game that could have been decided by the hamstring of one small 6’1 guard out of France.