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USA Today
03-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Sam Presti says NBA can't ignore correlation between injuries and workload
As Tyrese Haliburton pounded his fists against the hardwood, everybody knew what happened just based on their gut reaction. Multiple replays that showed a ripple effect on the back of his calf just confirmed those nasty suspicions. Playing on a strained calf, Haliburton's risky gamble blew up. The Indiana Pacers likely lost their franchise player for next season to a torn Achilles. That hung over them the rest of the 2025 NBA Finals Game 7 as the Oklahoma City Thunder captured their first championship. Haliburton joined Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard as All-Star players who suffered a torn Achilles. The aftermath has been catastrophic for all three NBA franchises. The Milwaukee Bucks stretched and waived Lillard. The Boston Celtics shipped away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in a gap year. Despite being on the good side of injury luck in the playoffs, Sam Presti says the NBA can't play dumb. There's a clear correlation between workload and an uptick in injuries. Instead of running a victory lap over his first championship, the OKC GM got on his soapbox in his 2024-25 end-of-season press conference. "Yeah, I just think there's certainly something to be learned from the injuries. It's a couple years in a row now that we've been in the postseason and the best players on certain teams aren't playing," Presti said. "I think the one thing we have to do is get away from the defensive nature of trying to convince people, players, and teams that there's no connection between the loads and the injuries." If anybody knows about lengthy seasons, it's the Thunder. They played nine months of basketball and two months of highly intense playoff basketball that went the distance, thanks to the NBA's first NBA Finals Game 7 in nearly a decade. The champion even played an unofficial 83rd game in the 2024 NBA Cup. "We're kind of bordering on a level of — it's almost insulting. It doesn't mean it's anyone's fault. It doesn't mean we don't want our best players playing every single night. It's not a matter of players not wanting to play or being soft or anything like that," Presti said. "But I don't think we should be putting our head in the sand and acting as if there's no correlation." This is almost a shot at NBA commissioner Adam Silver. He recently told ESPN there isn't a correlation between games played and injuries. He even said he doesn't believe the regular season's length plays a role in injuries, which is difficult to believe when there are weeks of jam-packed schedules. Presti later brought up the good point that the average role player does so much more now than they did 20 years ago. 3-point specialists no longer exist. Anybody who enters the NBA knows they must be good at almost everything to carve out a career. "The reason is why, because if we're pointing to data, the data is from 20 years ago or 10 years ago. The game is a totally different sport than it was even several years ago because of the amount of possessions, the way the offenses work now, it's not people standing around the three-point line waiting for double-teams and then the ball to be kicked out," Presti said. "There's so much involvement on every possession where we're playing almost two games compared to 10 years ago and how involved the bodies are." Silver's addition of the 65-game rule for awards and the NBA Cup has caused traffic jams in the second half of the regular season. January and March are the NBA's busiest months. That's when most teams play their most back-to-backs and three-games-in-four-nights. It puts most team's best players' stamina meter near empty by the time the playoffs roll around. "Then you take into consideration the fact that everyone is trying to play as much as possible because of the 65-game rule. Then you take into consideration that the back half of the schedule is more condensed than it has been in the last 10 years because the In-Season Tournament cannot have back-to-back games on those days," Presti said. "So you've got much less flexibility in the schedule, a game that's really red lining compared to past seasons in terms of the overall movement and torque on your body, the uptick in physicality that we have because that's where we want the game to go." Everything Presti has said is valid. As one of the best GMs in the NBA, what he says matters more than the usual person in the NBA ecosystem. Perhaps Silver will take the feedback well. The Thunder and the rest of the league would be way better off.
USA Today
29-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Thomas Sorber, Brooks Barnhizer reveal what they learned about Thunder's playoff run
Even during the busiest two months of their lives, any basketball junkie would find time to keep up with the NBA playoffs. It's the best time of the year as teams battle it out to win a championship. The Oklahoma City Thunder captured their first Larry O'Brien trophy after an NBA Finals Game 7 win over the Indiana Pacers. Showing how the NBA is a 24/7 business, the Thunder only had three days to celebrate the championship before they shifted their focus to the 2025 NBA draft. Thomas Sorber and Brooks Barnhizer were the latest additions to the NBA champion. As they went through their predraft process and met with teams, Sorber and Barnhizer kept an eye on the Thunder's championship run. After all, both likely knew for weeks there was a decent chance that OKC could take them in the draft. Minutes after Sorber was drafted, he rode the high of reaching his dreams when he promised that the Thunder will go back-to-back. That's what every NBA champion feels like in the immediate aftermath, but OKC is best set up compared to previous champions to accomplish the rare feat. "Yeah, I watched the NBA Finals," Sorber said. "Honestly, it just felt good to be chosen by Sam and just to be able to bring whatever I could do to bring to the team." Meanwhile, Barnhizer had his first of 16 NBA workouts with the Thunder. The 23-year-old had the NBA champion on the back of his mind throughout his other 15 visits. He caught Sam Presti's eye when he attended a Northwestern game last season. "Of course I watched the NBA Finals, and I think something that me and Thomas, we were talking about earlier, how physical that series was and the kind of kids that we are and things that we're able to bring into that culture is just really exciting," Barnhizer said. "Definitely thrilled to end up in this position for sure." The truth is, the Thunder won't need to rely on rookies in the playoffs if everything goes right. Sorber and Barnhizer are long-term plays that could contribute down the road when the payroll jumps up. But there's definitely room for them to contribute in the regular season. An 82-game season invites everybody to get some runs in eventually.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How will Tyrese Haliburton look post-Achilles recovery? Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Kobe Bryant cases may provide some insight
Tyrese Haliburton joined an unfortunate list of NBA stars to have suffered one of the worst injuries in sports Sunday night with a torn Achilles tendon that required surgery Monday. All things considered, it's one of the most devastating injuries in basketball history. It shifted the trajectory of an NBA Finals Game 7, cut short one of the great individual postseason runs ever seen at its peak and put an immediate damper on the 2025-26 hopes of an emerging Pacers team that had just risen the ranks of Eastern Conference powers. Advertisement For Haliburton, the injury stunts the prime of his All-Star career just as he entered it at 25 years old. The good news for Haliburton is there's recent precedent for All-Star-level players to recover and resume their careers at a high level. What's next for Haliburton, Tatum, Lillard? The focus now shifts to Haliburton's recovery and the impact of the injury on his long-term prospects. It's a reality that fellow All-Stars Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum have faced for weeks since sustaining Achilles tears of their own in the postseason. Fortunately for all three, Achilles tears aren't necessarily the career-enders that they were for many in the past as medical advancements in treatment and recovery have improved the outlook of players who sustain them. But they retain the downside of altering the trajectory of basketball careers. Advertisement There's no telling how any of the three will look post-recovery. The best we can do is look at similar injuries to high-level players in recent basketball history. The most notable cases to examine are Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson. Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles tendon in April 2013 at the end of the NBA regular season. As a 34-year-old guard at the time of his injury, Bryant's case is more relevant to Lillard's than Haliburton's or Tatum's. Bryant was on the backend of his prime as one of the game's most dominant offensive forces at the time of his injury. He played 78 games in the 2012-13 season prior to his injury and averaged 27.3 points, six assists and 5.6 rebounds per game while exceeding his career shooting percentage (44.7%) with a 46.3% success rate from the field. Advertisement This was late-stage Kobe. But it was still prime Kobe. He was named first-team All-NBA and finished fifth in MVP voting that season. He was never the same again. Kobe Bryant was never again the same player after tearing his Achilles tendon in 2013. (Photo by) (Jeff Gross via Getty Images) Bryant returned to the court the following December, only to suffer a knee fracture in the same left leg that sustained the Achilles tear six games into his comeback. He missed the rest of the 2013-14 season. He went on to play two more NBA seasons and remained a potent scorer by normal NBA standards. But he was a shell of his former self. Bryant averaged 22.3 points in 35 games in 2014-15, but shot 37.3% from the floor. A rotator cuff injury ended his season in January. Advertisement In his final season in 2015-16, Bryant averaged 17.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 35.8% from the field. The combination of age (37) and compounding injuries ultimately compelled the uber-competitive Bryant to hang it up. Klay Thompson Thompson's Achilles tendon injury may be the most unique and difficult of the three to compare. Thompson sustained his injury in November 2021 in a Golden State Warriors scrimmage during his comeback from an ACL tear. Thompson previously tore the ACL in his left knee during the 2019 NBA Finals between the Warriors and Raptors. He missed the entire 2019-20 season with that injury, then tore the Achilles tendon in his right leg while ramping up for his return. Advertisement The Achilles tear cost him a second consecutive full season in 2020-21. He returned for the 2021-22 season at 31 years old and has remarkably remained a productive NBA player since. But he's not been the same. Klay Thompson has remained a productive player and was a key contributor to a Warriors championship team since his return from ACL and Achilles injuries. () (Ezra Shaw via Getty Images) Thompson was one of basketball's most lethal and efficient shooters in his pre-injury prime. Since his return, his season-long shooting percentages have ranged from 41.2% to 43.6%, well below his prime shooting rates that hovered between 46.3% and 47%. Thompson was also a high-level perimeter defender pre-injury who made an All-Defensive team and earned Defensive Player of the Year votes in two separate seasons. He's no longer capable of that level of defense and hasn't made an All-Star team post-injury after making five All-Star teams and two All-NBA teams prior to his injuries. Advertisement But he's remained a high-level scorer and one of the league's best 3-point shooters. He averaged 20-plus points in each of his first two seasons back and has shot no worse than 38.5% from 3 in his four seasons since. Some projected the combination of injuries to end Thompson's career, and they've done anything but. Kevin Durant For many, Durant's was the first name to come to mind when Haliburton collapsed to the floor Sunday night. We'd seen this before. Like Haliburton, Durant suffered a strained calf during the playoffs in 2019. Like Haliburton, Durant opted to play through the injury in the NBA Finals with an NBA title at stake. Like Haliburton, Durant collapsed in the NBA Finals with an Achilles tear that threatened to alter the trajectory of his career. Advertisement And perhaps even more so than Thompson's, Durant's case provides reason for optimism. Durant was a pending free agent at the time of his injury and didn't play during the 2019-20 season after signing with the Brooklyn Nets. He returned to the court with the Nets for the 2020-21 season at 32 years old. And it's difficult to argue that Durant's missed a beat since. Kevin Durant has remained an elite offensive force since returning from a torn Achilles tendon that he sustained in the 2019 NBA Finals. () (Chris Coduto via Getty Images) Durant's been an All-Star in each of his five seasons since his recovery. He's made two All-NBA teams and has twice finished in the top 10 in MVP voting. He hasn't averaged fewer than 26.6 points per game or shot worse than 51.8% from the field or 38.3% from 3 in any of those five seasons. Advertisement In short, he's remained in large part what he always was — one of the game's all-time elite offensive weapons. That he's managed to do so on a 6-11 frame on the other side of a significant leg injury in his 30s is nothing short of remarkable. No two Achilles tears or NBA bodies are the same. Projecting just how Haliburton, Tatum and Lillard will respond post-recovery is guesswork that considers multiple factors including age, playing style and body type. At 34 years old, Lillard's recovery projects to look quite different than Haliburton's at 25. Tatum is closer in time on his basketball journey to Haliburton at 27. But he's a 6-foot-8, 210-pound forward. Haliburton's a 6-foot-5, 185-pound guard. Their positions and playing styles put unique stressors on their Achilles tendons, and their recoveries should not be expected to look the same. Perhaps the biggest lesson from looking at the past is that none of them should.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
NBA legend Scottie Pippen drops casual flex with NBA Finals message to Thunder
The post NBA legend Scottie Pippen drops casual flex with NBA Finals message to Thunder appeared first on ClutchPoints. After the Oklahoma City Thunder captured their first NBA championship, Scottie Pippen did what only a six-time champion could do. He congratulated the new kings of the league with a casual, confident flex that sent the internet buzzing. Advertisement On Instagram, Pippen posted an AI-generated image of himself seated in front of a laptop, wearing his iconic Chicago Bulls jersey and flashing all six of his championship rings. The caption, though light-hearted, delivered a perfect mix of humor and legacy. 'I just watched an NBA Finals Game 7. Never been in one myself, though. Replying to the comments like 'Y'all be blessed' 🤣 Congrats to the Thunder on the win.' It was vintage Pippen. Cool, composed, and quietly reminding everyone that his Bulls never needed a Game 7 in the Finals. The post celebrated the Thunder's hard-fought title but also served as a subtle nod to a dominant era that never let things get that close. Advertisement But buried in that post was something deeper. A connection that fans and analysts have been talking about all season. The Thunder's dynamic duo of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams has drawn comparisons to the legendary pairing of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. While it is far too early to place them in the same tier as that all-time great tandem, their chemistry, play style, and impact on both ends of the floor have sparked real conversations. Pippen himself has taken notice. In a recent interview, he praised Jalen Williams for his versatility and poise. He said Williams reminded him of a younger version of himself and even suggested that in today's NBA, Jalen might have the tools to go even further. Williams delivered in the Finals, averaging over 23 points while playing efficient, high-IQ basketball. His Game 5 performance, where he poured in 40 points, was one of the standout moments of the series. On the other side, Gilgeous-Alexander capped off his MVP season with a Finals MVP trophy and a stat line that included 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5 rebounds during the regular season. Together, they combined for over 100 points in one Finals game, a feat not seen in more than five decades. While no duo will ever replicate what Jordan and Pippen did in the 90s, there are flashes of that same harmony in OKC. One guard leads with pure scoring brilliance, the other makes everything around him smoother, smarter, and tougher. The balance of star power and selflessness is familiar, and it has brought the Thunder to the top of the basketball world. Advertisement Pippen's post did more than entertain. It gave fans a reason to look back and a reason to look ahead. He honored the present while standing firmly in his past. And with just one AI-generated image and a perfectly worded caption, he reminded everyone what greatness looks like, then and now. Related: 2025 NBA Mock Draft 4.0: Latest intel after Kevin Durant trade shakes up top 10 Related: 2026 NBA title odds after Thunder win, Tyrese Haliburton injury, Kevin Durant trade
The Advertiser
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Pacers' Finals ace could miss all of next NBA season
Tyrese Haliburton took the Indiana Pacers to heights few thought possible after they started the NBA season with a 10-15 record. Getting back might take some time after team officials confirmed on Monday that the two-time All-Star tore his right Achilles tendon in the decisive NBA Finals Game 7 loss the Oklahoma City on Sunday, an injury that could cost Haliburton all of next season. The announcement casts a pall on his historic postseason run, which included a litany of incredible plays, buzzer-beating winners and occasionally unprecedented stat lines, and it helped propel the Pacers to their second NBA Finals appearance and within one victory of the franchise's first championship. "An MRI taken on Monday confirmed that Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon. Surgery is scheduled later today with Dr. Martin O'Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York," the team said. Coach Rick Carlisle still believes that when Haliburton heals he will be every bit as good - whenever that may be. "He will be back," Carlisle said following the 103-91 loss at Oklahoma City. "I don't have any medical information about what's what, what may or may not have happened. But he'll be back in time, and I believe he'll make a full recovery." A healthy Haliburton certainly makes the Pacers a stronger team. They likely wouldn't have made it this far without him helping to orchestrate three incredible rallies from seven points down in the final 50 seconds of regulation in three weeks. But after scoring nine points, all on 3-pointers, in the first seven minutes of the biggest game in franchise history, Haliburton's crash to the floor and sudden departure created a double whammy for Indiana. Not only did they lose their leader, but Indiana also fell short in its title chase. Again. There are silver linings, though. At age 25, Haliburton is young enough to return to his pre-injury form and today's medical advances could help shorten the expected timetable of about 12 months. And nine of Indiana's top 10 players are under contract for 2025-26, with starting centre Myles Turner the lone exception. Tyrese Haliburton took the Indiana Pacers to heights few thought possible after they started the NBA season with a 10-15 record. Getting back might take some time after team officials confirmed on Monday that the two-time All-Star tore his right Achilles tendon in the decisive NBA Finals Game 7 loss the Oklahoma City on Sunday, an injury that could cost Haliburton all of next season. The announcement casts a pall on his historic postseason run, which included a litany of incredible plays, buzzer-beating winners and occasionally unprecedented stat lines, and it helped propel the Pacers to their second NBA Finals appearance and within one victory of the franchise's first championship. "An MRI taken on Monday confirmed that Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon. Surgery is scheduled later today with Dr. Martin O'Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York," the team said. Coach Rick Carlisle still believes that when Haliburton heals he will be every bit as good - whenever that may be. "He will be back," Carlisle said following the 103-91 loss at Oklahoma City. "I don't have any medical information about what's what, what may or may not have happened. But he'll be back in time, and I believe he'll make a full recovery." A healthy Haliburton certainly makes the Pacers a stronger team. They likely wouldn't have made it this far without him helping to orchestrate three incredible rallies from seven points down in the final 50 seconds of regulation in three weeks. But after scoring nine points, all on 3-pointers, in the first seven minutes of the biggest game in franchise history, Haliburton's crash to the floor and sudden departure created a double whammy for Indiana. Not only did they lose their leader, but Indiana also fell short in its title chase. Again. There are silver linings, though. At age 25, Haliburton is young enough to return to his pre-injury form and today's medical advances could help shorten the expected timetable of about 12 months. And nine of Indiana's top 10 players are under contract for 2025-26, with starting centre Myles Turner the lone exception. Tyrese Haliburton took the Indiana Pacers to heights few thought possible after they started the NBA season with a 10-15 record. Getting back might take some time after team officials confirmed on Monday that the two-time All-Star tore his right Achilles tendon in the decisive NBA Finals Game 7 loss the Oklahoma City on Sunday, an injury that could cost Haliburton all of next season. The announcement casts a pall on his historic postseason run, which included a litany of incredible plays, buzzer-beating winners and occasionally unprecedented stat lines, and it helped propel the Pacers to their second NBA Finals appearance and within one victory of the franchise's first championship. "An MRI taken on Monday confirmed that Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon. Surgery is scheduled later today with Dr. Martin O'Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York," the team said. Coach Rick Carlisle still believes that when Haliburton heals he will be every bit as good - whenever that may be. "He will be back," Carlisle said following the 103-91 loss at Oklahoma City. "I don't have any medical information about what's what, what may or may not have happened. But he'll be back in time, and I believe he'll make a full recovery." A healthy Haliburton certainly makes the Pacers a stronger team. They likely wouldn't have made it this far without him helping to orchestrate three incredible rallies from seven points down in the final 50 seconds of regulation in three weeks. But after scoring nine points, all on 3-pointers, in the first seven minutes of the biggest game in franchise history, Haliburton's crash to the floor and sudden departure created a double whammy for Indiana. Not only did they lose their leader, but Indiana also fell short in its title chase. Again. There are silver linings, though. At age 25, Haliburton is young enough to return to his pre-injury form and today's medical advances could help shorten the expected timetable of about 12 months. And nine of Indiana's top 10 players are under contract for 2025-26, with starting centre Myles Turner the lone exception. Tyrese Haliburton took the Indiana Pacers to heights few thought possible after they started the NBA season with a 10-15 record. Getting back might take some time after team officials confirmed on Monday that the two-time All-Star tore his right Achilles tendon in the decisive NBA Finals Game 7 loss the Oklahoma City on Sunday, an injury that could cost Haliburton all of next season. The announcement casts a pall on his historic postseason run, which included a litany of incredible plays, buzzer-beating winners and occasionally unprecedented stat lines, and it helped propel the Pacers to their second NBA Finals appearance and within one victory of the franchise's first championship. "An MRI taken on Monday confirmed that Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon. Surgery is scheduled later today with Dr. Martin O'Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York," the team said. Coach Rick Carlisle still believes that when Haliburton heals he will be every bit as good - whenever that may be. "He will be back," Carlisle said following the 103-91 loss at Oklahoma City. "I don't have any medical information about what's what, what may or may not have happened. But he'll be back in time, and I believe he'll make a full recovery." A healthy Haliburton certainly makes the Pacers a stronger team. They likely wouldn't have made it this far without him helping to orchestrate three incredible rallies from seven points down in the final 50 seconds of regulation in three weeks. But after scoring nine points, all on 3-pointers, in the first seven minutes of the biggest game in franchise history, Haliburton's crash to the floor and sudden departure created a double whammy for Indiana. Not only did they lose their leader, but Indiana also fell short in its title chase. Again. There are silver linings, though. At age 25, Haliburton is young enough to return to his pre-injury form and today's medical advances could help shorten the expected timetable of about 12 months. And nine of Indiana's top 10 players are under contract for 2025-26, with starting centre Myles Turner the lone exception.
