With the NBA playoffs less than a week underway, many players are already showing signs of extreme stress.
The shortened season due to the lockout has forced teams to play 66 games in only 124 days with some teams playing back to back to back games multiple times this season and the increased wear and tear has shown.
Last year’s MVP Derrick Rose missed 27 games during the regular season due to various injuries and will now miss all of the playoffs and possibly some of next year’s regular season with a torn ACL. New York Knicks guard Iman Shumpert is also out for the rest of the year with an ACL tear and Los Angeles Clippers player Caron Butler is also done for the year with a broken hand.
Another serious issue for the players due to the condensed schedule is stress.
It is becoming evident that there is even more stress then is usually involved in the playoffs. In the last week of the season Lakers forward Metta World Peace , formerly known as Ron Artest, was suspended seven games for elbowing James Harden in the head during a game.
Celtics guard Rajon Rondo was suspended one game after being ejected in the fourth quarter of the Celtics first playoff game for bumping an official after he became angry after a foul call on a teammate. Knicks center Amare Stoudemire will miss game three of his team’s playoff series after cutting his hand when he punched a fire extinguisher case after a second straight loss to the Miami Heat.
Lakers Center Jordan Hill was arrested on charges of a 3rd degree felony for choking his girlfriend.
It is obvious that the shortened season has caused damage both physically and mentally to players all around the league and this is all due to the lockout that caused the shortened season. When the next Collective Bargaining Agreement expires it would be in the best interest of owners, coach, referees, and especially players that a deal be reached quickly to avoid this level of injury.