Do They HAVE To Get Injured?
Only a game and a half out of playoff contention, the Detroit Pistons starting point guard Brandon Jennings was carried out of Saturday night’s game at his old stomping grounds in Milwaukee. The Detroit News reports Jennings has a full tear in his Achilles tendon and will be out the remainder of the season.
This, without a doubt, is a huge blow to the resurgent Pistons, who have been on an absolute tear since getting rid of the trigger-happy Josh Smith. As an avid NBA fan you simply hate to see this take place. The Pistons really gelled and started to figure out who they were as a (healthy) unit. With clear hopes for making the playoffs, it’s a disappointing reality that we won’t see what their potential might have been. Looking at the bigger picture away from this specific injury, I can’t help but to feel “some typa way” about how often promising seasons come crashing down with one player’s injury.
Never Injured Living That 2K XBox Life
I wish real-life NBA was like when I play NBA 2K on my Xbox, in which I immediately turn off injuries as well as fatigue (no time for benchwarmers) because let’s face it, I didn’t pay 60 dollars plus tax to not play with Kevin Durant and have freakin’ Anthony Roberson start in place of him. We can look to Derrick Rose as a perfect example.
In the 2012-2013 season, Rose just came off an MVP year (in which he was the youngest ever to win the coveted trophy) with a team that was destined to make the championship. Thanks to Lebron and friends, they lost in the conference finals. This fueled D-Rose, and had us all at the edge of our seats in anticipation to see what he and the Bulls would do next season. The result was his horrific ACL tear that led to the #1 seeded Bulls losing to the last place Sixers in a 6 game series.
Words like unfair, heartbreaking, and discouraging all come to mind when explaining that situation (or Derrick Rose’s career for that matter) and it’s just unfortunate to see. This particularly strikes a chord with me because I see it as, if you’re not playing against the best talent out there, then you shouldn’t be considered the best. Simple as that. Jordan finally got past Joe Dumars and the Bad Boys, deeming him the best. LeBron (with help from Ray Allen’s God given touch) finally got past the aging Spurs, deeming him the best.
All in all this is a problem that obviously can’t be fixed, but with as many injuries that occur, the thought to somehow “turn them off” has to cross ones mind…or at least mine. With the NBA now possessing as much talent as it has, it makes it that much more intriguing to find out who will be hoisting that trophy come June. As for the Pistons, they must now rely on D.J. Augustin to make up for the 15.4 ppg and 6.6 apg Jennings brought on a nightly basis. Good luck Detroit.
