This article is part of our NBA Injury Analysis series.
Brook Lopez
If an 0-7 start wasn't daunting enough, the Nets got a big scare over the weekend when their big man exited Sunday's loss to the Bucks with soreness in his surgically repaired right foot. Lopez has undergone three surgeries on the troublesome foot since initially breaking his fifth metatarsal during the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. The second procedure was needed to address failed surgical hardware and the most recent procedure, performed during the 2013-14 campaign, was necessary after another fracture developed. The third surgery included a first metatarsal osteotomy, designed to reshape the foot and divert stress away from the problematic area.
Fortunately, an X-ray taken revealed the bone to be intact and the team felt confident enough in their findings that an additional MRI was not ordered. Lopez is expected to be in uniform Wednesday when the team travels to Houston. While Lopez is a valuable fantasy commodity, the incident is a harsh reminder that the former Stanford product has an increased level of inherent injury risk. Fantasy owners should enjoy his productivity when he is on the court but have a reliable insurance policy readily available.
Chris Paul
The All-Star point guard played in 82 games for the first time last season but was unable to make through Los Angeles' first 10 games without missing time. While he's played the first five games with a fractured left index finger sustained during the preseason, a groin strain kept him out of the lineup over the weekend. CP3 has
Brook Lopez
If an 0-7 start wasn't daunting enough, the Nets got a big scare over the weekend when their big man exited Sunday's loss to the Bucks with soreness in his surgically repaired right foot. Lopez has undergone three surgeries on the troublesome foot since initially breaking his fifth metatarsal during the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season. The second procedure was needed to address failed surgical hardware and the most recent procedure, performed during the 2013-14 campaign, was necessary after another fracture developed. The third surgery included a first metatarsal osteotomy, designed to reshape the foot and divert stress away from the problematic area.
Fortunately, an X-ray taken revealed the bone to be intact and the team felt confident enough in their findings that an additional MRI was not ordered. Lopez is expected to be in uniform Wednesday when the team travels to Houston. While Lopez is a valuable fantasy commodity, the incident is a harsh reminder that the former Stanford product has an increased level of inherent injury risk. Fantasy owners should enjoy his productivity when he is on the court but have a reliable insurance policy readily available.
Chris Paul
The All-Star point guard played in 82 games for the first time last season but was unable to make through Los Angeles' first 10 games without missing time. While he's played the first five games with a fractured left index finger sustained during the preseason, a groin strain kept him out of the lineup over the weekend. CP3 has battled an assortment of lower extremity muscular injuries during his 11-year career, including a previous right groin strain that kept him out of four consecutive games during the 2008-09 season.
Groin injuries can be particularly limiting for a point guard as they often result in a functional limitation with lateral or side-to-side movement. As a result, playing defense becomes difficult, as does attacking the basket on the offensive end. Even worse, groin injuries tend to linger and can be easily aggravated. Scale back your expectations for Paul even when he does return.
Nikola Vucevic
Orlando's starting center suffered a scary knee injury Wednesday in a loss to the Rockets. Fortunately an MRI revealed no damage to the stabilizing ligaments or menisci and Vucevic was diagnosed with a less severe bone contusion. While the outcome should be considered a positive one, Vucevic isn't completely out of the woods.
Bone contusions, or bone bruises, are a bit more serious than the name suggests. The patella, like most bones, is surrounded by a thin layer of compact bone tissue that is fortified by a membrane known as the periosteum. The periosteum, along with additional layers of bony tissue, gives the knee cap its strength. However, the layers can be damaged with contact. A fracture occurs when the damage is complete and involves all of the layers of bone. If the damage is isolated to the outer layer, it is considered a bone bruise. The body's natural healing response treats the injury just as it would a true fracture, filling in the cracks with new, healthy bone tissue. This requires a reasonable amount of time and, unfortunately for Vucevic and the Magic, the biomechanics of the knee often prolong the process. Expect Vucevic to miss an additional game or two. Dewayne Dedmon has replaced Vucevic in the starting lineup, though his fantasy value remains limited.
Fast Breaks
Bradley Beal
Beal has started the season in impressive fashion, averaging 22.7 points per game on 48 percent shooting, including 47 percent (!) from behind the arc. However, he sustained a left shoulder injury over the weekend and the Wizards remain tight-lipped on the severity and specifics of the ailment. Following a collision with Atlanta's Jeff Teague, Beal appeared to favor either his collarbone or the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, the area where the collarbone attaches to the shoulder blade. A moderate AC sprain would require a lengthy recovery. Keep an eye out for an update from the Wizards but those in weekly leagues should have a fill-in ready.
Patrick Beverley and Terrence Jones
The Rockets are set to welcome back two key role players this week. Beverley, out since sustaining a concussion last Wednesday against the Magic, will complete the league-mandated protocol in time for Monday's practice. Jones' lacerated eyelid has kept him out of five straight games, though he too is expected back for Wednesday's matchup against the Nets. The return of Beverley and Jones will provide Houston with much needed depth and help stabilize the rotation. Having Jones back will be particularly useful for the team as they continue to await the return of Donatas Motiejunas and limit Dwight Howard's early season minutes.
Darren Collison
The Kings' reserve point guard is nursing a strained left hamstring and has already missed one game with the injury. The team announced his status as day-to-day, though Collison told reporters the results of the MRI were "not good." Like discussed with Paul, strains to the lower extremities can be difficult to overcome, especially for speedy guards. Keep Collison on your bench for the immediate future and move on if this revealed to be a moderate or high grade strain that will keep him sidelined for a prolonged stretch.
Kendrick Perkins
Injuries to the Pelicans forced the veteran into starting duties. Unfortunately, he too has joined the list of walking wounded in New Orleans and is expected to miss between two and three months recovering from a pectoral injury. Pectoral injuries are relatively rare in the NBA though big men seem more inclined to suffer them. Recent players to miss significant time with pec injuries include Al Horford (twice), Kwame Brown and Darrell Arthur. The average number of games missed for these cases was an alarming 53, suggesting Perkins' return will be on the latter end of the estimated timeline. However, each of those cases required surgery, something currently not being discussed for Perkins. Perkins wasn't exactly a fantasy force but his absence further depletes a frontcourt already without center Omer Asik, who continues to nurse a nagging calf strain. As a result, Alexis Ajinca will see additional time alongside Anthony Davis.
