NBA injuries: Anthony Davis could miss another 4-5 weeks with mid-foot sprain; Chris Paul out until playoffs?

 

With the All-Star break now in the rear view mirror, it's time to start the stretch run to the playoffs. Unfortunately, many teams, including top contenders in each conference, are still shorthanded as they deal with injuries to key players. 

In the Western Conference, Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul has a thumb injury that will keep him out for most of the remainder of the regular season, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is still out indefinitely with a back injury, Paul George may not return to the Los Angeles Clippers this season and Anthony Davis is likely out another several weeks with a mid-foot sprain. 

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Conference, the flailing Brooklyn Nets are expected to get Kevin Durant back within a week from the MCL sprain that has kept him out for a month, and Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz is set to make his return after over a year on the sidelines due to a torn ACL. The Chicago Bulls, though, are still without the likes of Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, while the Milwaukee Bucks are still missing Brook Lopez. 

As the season rolls along, here's a look at the most significant injuries around the league, and when these players might be back on the court. To see more injury updates around the league, 

Anthony Davis

LOS ANGELES LAKERS C

INJURY: Mid-foot sprain | STATUS: Likely out 4-5 more weeks

Anthony Davis' injury-riddled season continued when he suffered a mid-foot sprain during the Lakers' win over the Jazz earlier this month. He is expected to be out another four-to-five weeks per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, which means he'll end up missing most of the remainder of the regular season. That's bad news for a Lakers team currently stuck in the play-in tournament. 

Chris Paul

PHOENIX SUNS PG

INJURY: Thumb avulsion fracture | STATUS: To be re-evaluated in 6-8 weeks

The Suns suffer a big blow after it's announced ahead of the All-Star Game that Chris Paul suffered a right thumb avulsion fracture that will sideline him for 6-8 weeks. Phoenix sits comfortably in first place in the West, but will likely have to finish the regular season with its veteran leader sidelined.

Zion Williamson

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS PF

INJURY: Fractured foot | STATUS: No return date set

Zion Williamson hasn't played in a single game for the Pelicans this season, and his return doesn't appear to be imminent. Williamson may need a second surgery on the broken foot that he suffered over the offseason. There's still no timetable for a potential return for Williamson, and the Blazers have been operating under the assumption that he's not coming back anytime soon, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst .

Kevin Durant

BROOKLYN NETS PF

INJURY: Knee (MCL sprain) | STATUS:  Expected to return within a week

Kevin Durant suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee against the New Orleans Pelicans in mid-January, and the Nets have gone 5-14 without him. The good news is he's expected to return in the next week, Nets coach Steve Nash told reporters on Saturday.

Bradley Beal

WASHINGTON WIZARDS SG

INJURY: Torn ligament in wrist | STATUS: Season-ending surgery

Bradley Beal required season-ending surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist, Beal's agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed to ESPN. Beal has missed the past four games for Washington after attempting to take a charge against Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr . He initially stayed in the game, but has been out ever since. Now, his season, and perhaps his time in Washington, is over.

Damian Lillard

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS PG

INJURY: Abdominal tendinopathy | STATUS: Will be re-evaluated in 5-6 weeks after Jan. 12 surgery

The Blazers star will be out until at least after the All-Star break after undergoing abdominal surgery on Jan. 12. Here's more on the procedure . Lillard missed time late in 2021 due to the same ab issue, and underwent a cortisone injection procedure to mitigate the pain.

John Collins

ATLANTA HAWKS PF

INJURY: Foot strain | STATUS: Out until after All-Star break

Collins left the Hawks ' game against the Spurs on Feb. 11 with heel pain and later underwent an MRI that revealed a foot strain. The injury doesn't seem particularly serious, but he will be held out until after the All-Star break, which will give him nearly two full weeks off. Collins is putting together another strong season, averaging 16.8 points and 7.9 rebounds, while shooting 38.8 percent from 3-point land

Joe Ingles

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS SG

INJURY: Knee (torn ACL) | STATUS: Out for season

Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles suffered a torn ACL in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the season, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski . The team announced that Ingles will undergo surgery in the next several weeks. The injury occurred during the second quarter of Utah's 126-106 loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves Sunday night. Ingles was driving to the basket while being defended by Timberwolves guard Jordan McLaughlin . It appeared as though Ingles began to gather to go up toward the hoop and his knee gave out on him. He fell to the ground and was ultimately helped back to the locker room and did not return to the game.

Lonzo Ball

CHICAGO BULLS PG

INJURY: Small meniscus tear in left knee | STATUS: Out 6-8 weeks

Ball recently underwent surgery to fix a small meniscus tear in his left knee. He seemingly suffered the injury in a Jan. 14 game against the Golden State Warriors, and he has not played for the Bulls since then. He is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after the surgery.

Myles Turner

INDIANA PACERS C

INJURY: Foot (stress reaction) | STATUS: Out at least two weeks

Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner will be sidelined for at least two weeks after the team announced Tuesday afternoon he's suffering from a stress reaction in his left foot. He was experiencing soreness in his ankle and foot ahead of Indiana's game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night and was ultimately held out. After seeing several specialists its been determined that Turner will receive treatment for his left foot and be sidelined and re-assessed in two weeks. It's expected that Turner could be out past the NBA's trade deadline on Feb. 10, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Gordon Hayward

CHARLOTTE HORNETS SF

INJURY: Sprained ligaments in left ankle | STATUS: Out indefinitely

Gordon Hayward will be sidelined indefinitely after injuring his ankle against the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 8. Tests revealed sprained ligaments in his left ankle. The Hornets will have to overcome his absence as he was averaging 16.1 points per game along with 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists.

Paul George

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS SF

INJURY: Elbow | STATUS: No definitive timeline for return

The Los Angeles Clippers star has been sidelined since Dec. 22 due to an elbow injury which was later revealed to be a torn ulnar collateral ligament. There were initial fears that George may need season-ending surgery, but he has been rehabbing with hopes of returning. Whether he'll be able to do so, however, remains to be seen. Clippers head coach Ty Lue told reporters recently that George is "feeling better" and "making progress," but will "need more time."

Draymond Green

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS PF

INJURY: Lower back injury | STATUS: Expected back sometime after All-Star break

Draymond Green appears to be moving in the right direction when it comes to his return to game action. Green has been sidelined since early January due to a lower back injury, but recently returned to practice with the Warriors. There's still no official timeline for his return, but Green said his progress has been "tremendous" and he is hopeful he'll be able to play before the end of the regular season.

Alex Caruso

CHICAGO BULLS SG

INJURY: Broken wrist | STATUS: Out 6-8 weeks

Caruso fractured his right wrist against Milwaukee on Jan. 21 when he was fouled by Bucks guard Grayson Allen on a fast break. Allen was suspended one game for the foul. Caruso is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks recovering from the injury.

T.J. Warren

INDIANA PACERS SF

INJURY: Fractured foot | STATUS: No timeline for return

After suffering a stress fracture in his foot that limited him to just four games last season, followed by another setback in his recovery over the summer, T.J. Warren has been working hard on a return to the court. There is optimism he'll be back sooner than later as head coach Rick Carlisle said Warren has been cleared to increase activities after a recent scan. Despite the positive report, the Pacers' productive forward still remains weeks away from a return.

Kawhi Leonard

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS SF

INJURY: Knee (torn ACL) | STATUS: Out indefinitely

Leonard went down with a torn ACL during the second round of the playoffs last season, and has not played since. There's still no definitive timeline for his return, but his rehab is reportedly ahead of schedule and it's possible he could play at some point this season. If Leonard does get on the court, that would obviously be a huge boost for the Clippers, who are fighting to remain in the playoff picture.

Brook Lopez

MILWAUKEE BUCKS C

INJURY: Back (surgery) | STATUS: Out indefinitely

Brook Lopez has missed almost the entirety of the season so far after undergoing back surgery, and though there is still no return date set for the veteran big man, the Bucks are hopeful that Lopez will return at some point during the regular season. The team has received positive updates regarding his progress. Milwaukee, which has largely turned to Bobby Portis in Lopez's absence, will certainly be happy to have him back whenever he does make his return.

Joe Harris

BROOKLYN NETS SG

INJURY: Ankle (surgery) | STATUS: Out indefinitely

Harris had surgery on his left ankle on Nov. 29, but he suffered some setbacks in his recovery, and no timetable has been provided for his potential return. The possibility of a second surgery is on the table, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Nets coach Steve Nash recently acknowledged that a second surgery is a possibility.

T.J. McConnell

INDIANA PACERS PG

INJURY: Hand (torn ligaments) I STATUS: Expected to miss several months

McConnell had surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right hand and is expected to miss several months, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Depending on his recovery, McConnell could be out for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

Michael Porter Jr.

DENVER NUGGETS SF

INJURY: Back (surgery) | STATUS: Likely out for season

Porter will undergo surgery for his lower back, per his agent Mark Bartelstein. While early reports suggested that Porter was expected to miss the remainder of the season, both Porter and the Nuggets are now reportedly holding out hope that he could return. Earlier this season, Porter came up limping after missing a breakaway layup. It's not clear exactly what happened, but he didn't get any lift as he tried to go to the rim, and left the game a short time later. The Nuggets originally listed the injury as lower back soreness, but after additional testing it was determined that he would need to undergo yet another back surgery.

Ricky Rubio

INDIANA PACERS PG

INJURY: Knee (torn ACL) | STATUS: Out for season

The surprising Cavaliers suffered a massive blow in December when they announced veteran guard Ricky Rubio will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. Rubio injured his knee in a loss to the Pelicans as he went down in clear pain and grabbed at his knee immediately. Rubio has since been traded to the Indiana Pacers, but he's still expected to miss the rest of the season.

Jamal Murray

DENVER NUGGETS PG

INJURY: Knee (torn ACL) | STATUS: Out indefinitely

The Nuggets have been without their star guard since late last season, when he tore his ACL against the Warriors. Murray has been ramping up his workouts and said recently that he feels "great." However, he won't be back on the court until some time in the spring at the earliest. Whether the Nuggets can remain afloat without him and Porter remains to be seen.

PJ Dozier

BOSTON CELTICS SG

INJURY: Knee | STATUS: Out for the season

Dozier has been a key reserve for the Nuggets, but his season unfortunately came to an end in November when he suffered a torn ACL on an awkward landing. His absence will only make things more difficult for the already shorthanded Nuggets.

Patrick Williams

CHICAGO BULLS PF

INJURY: Wrist (surgery) | STATUS: Out until at least April

Williams, the No. 4 overall pick last year, was off to an encouraging start along with the Bulls. But against the New York Knicks he took a hard foul from Mitchell Robinson and suffered a serious wrist injury upon landing. He is out until at least April due to a dislocation and torn ligaments that required surgery. We should get an update in the spring about whether or not he'll be able to return for the playoffs -- assuming the Bulls continue in this form and make a deep run.

Collin Sexton

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS SG

INJURY: Knee (torn meniscus) | STATUS: Out for season

The Cavaliers' fourth-year guard went down with a knee injury against the Knicks in early November. A few weeks later, the team announced that he had in fact suffered a torn meniscus, which required season-ending surgery. There's never a good time for a major injury, but this was especially unfortunate for Sexton, who is set to be a free agent this summer. Sexton was reportedly looking for a deal in the four-year, $100 million range, and it will be interesting to see if he can still command that value.

James Wiseman

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS C

INJURY: Knee (torn meniscus) | STATUS: Hoping to return soon

Wiseman's frustrating rookie campaign came to an end back in April when he tore his meniscus upon landing from a dunk attempt. He's been sidelined ever since. Earlier this season the Warriors were reportedly targeting Thanksgiving week for his return, but that has obviously come and gone. Wiseman has spent time practicing with the Warriors' G League affiliate, and scrimmaged with the Warriors in their first practice post-All-Star break, but it's still unclear when he'll return.

Victor Oladipo

MIAMI HEAT SG

INJURY: Quad tendon | STATUS: Out indefinitely

Oladipo ruptured his quad tendon in January of 2019, and has really never been right since then. He's played just 88 games over the last three-plus seasons, and has not participated at all in this campaign. A recent report from the Miami Herald indicated that the Heat are hopeful he'll be able to play by March, but he's recovering from a secondary surgery on his quad in the offseason and there's no set timeline for his return.

Markelle Fultz

ORLANDO MAGIC PG

INJURY: Knee (torn ACL) | STATUS: Expected to play Monday vs. Pacers

Fultz seemed like he had finally found a home with the Magic last season, and then he almost immediately tore his ACL in a cruel twist of fate. Now, after over a year on the sidelines, Fultz is set to make his return on Monday night against the Pacers.

Jonathan Isaac

ORLANDO MAGIC PF

INJURY: Knee (torn ACL and meniscus) | STATUS: Out indefinitely

The last time Isaac was on the court was over a year ago in the bubble in Orlando, when he suffered a devastating knee injury that included a torn meniscus and ACL. While it makes sense that the Magic are taking the cautious route with a player who has been frequently injured, it's a bit surprising that Isaac isn't closer to a return. We're going on 16 months now since the injury and there's still no timeline. Even stranger is that based on a recent interview with Wendell Carter Jr. , it appears as though Isaac hasn't progressed to doing much on-court work, if any. "JI's also doing a fantastic job," Carter said . "He's always in early in the morning before we even get there, before our practices and stuff. He's already on the table getting treatment on his knee, lifting, all that stuff. He's doing good."

Markieff Morris

MIAMI HEAT PF

INJURY: Neck | STATUS: Out indefinitely

The veteran Heat forward was injured in a bizarre incident with Nikola Jokic in November. After Morris delivered a reckless foul late in a blowout loss, Jokic retaliated with a cheap shot of his own to Morris' back, which resulted in a neck injury. Morris hasn't played since and remains out indefinitely.