On the eve of the Western Conference Championship series, the announcement that forward Serge Ibaka would miss the remainder of the playoffs was an inauspicious announcement for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Although the number two seed behind the San Antonio Spurs, the team possessed a certain edge, evidenced by their win in the 2012 Conference Final and a 4-0 sweep of the season series this year. The explosive athleticism of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Ibaka was a factor that the experience and execution of the Spurs could never match. Despite a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, the Thunder can still win, …
Did Derrick Rose Suffer an Overuse Injury?
Was Derrick Rose’s injury caused by overuse and a lack of recovery time or because he was adjusting to avoid aggravating existing lower body injuries?
The Toronto Raptors without Andrea Bargnani
The Toronto Raptors face many obstacles while Andrea Bargnani is out with a calf strain. This podcast is devoted to strategies the team can employ in order to succeed without their key player.
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Adversity and the Toronto Maple Leafs
For the third time in four seasons, Mats Sundin has returned to the Maple Leafs after a serious mid-season injury and questions arise regarding his influence on the team. Based on anecdotal evidence – the 2002 Playoffs and November 2006 – it seems as if the Leafs do worse when their captain dresses: 2002 Playoffs Arm Injury Last Five Games Before the Injury (4/12 to 4/23):Record: 4-1-0 (8 pts)Points per Game: 1.60 ppgGoals Scored per Game (for – against): 3.20 – 2.20Shots on Goal per Game (for – against): 29.2 – 29.8Power Play: 12.5% (3 – 24)Mats Sundin Productivity: 2 …