From Bill Russell’s ankle in 1958 to Kevin Durant’s Achilles tendon in 2019, injuries have long been a factor in the Finals.
DALLAS — Injuries dominated Tuesday’s off day at the 2024 NBA Finals, with both the Celtics and the Mavericks grabbing headlines for ailments of star players.
The question now is whether those or other injuries will dominate the championship series itself.
Dallas’ Luka Doncic reportedly received a pain-killing injection that enabled him to play in Sunday’s Game 2 despite chest, knee and ankle issues. The Mavs’ star playmaker, so wrapped in bandages and hot/cold packs, had looked like a mummy shortly before the game. It was noted that Doncic might need another shot to play in Wednesday’s Game 3 (8:30 ET, ABC).
The injury: Russell, Boston’s NBA MVP center, sprained an ankle deep into Game 3 against the St. Louis Hawks.
The impact: Boston went 1-2 with Russell in the first three games. It tied the series 2-2 in the first one he missed, then lost Game 5 by just two points. In the Game 6 clincher, Russell lasted only 20 minutes, putting up eight points and eight rebounds in a 110-109 loss.
The legacy: The Celtics failed to defend their 1956-57 championship, but they would rebound to win the next eight in a row and 10 of the next 11. Hall of Famer Bob Pettit scored a legendary 50 points with 19 rebounds in Game 6 but has had his achievement unfairly asterisked by some because of Russell’s injury.
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