Bruised, Not Broken

Photo from Getty Images/Robert Martinez.

The playoffs. It's where stuff like this and this and even this happens. Fouls are harder, players are rougher, and the tension and emotion is higher. When you've got ten tall, athletic guys running around in a confined area while hopped up on testosterone and a guy in a suit on the sidelines telling them to do something about it, someone's going to get hurt. Be it because of over aggressiveness, nerves being wound too tight, or freak accident, the playoffs are the playground of bumps and bruises.

We've been lucky to avoid any major injuries this post-season: no plantar fasciitis, no high ankle sprains, no broken fibulas. But what we do have is a lot of players playing a very physical style of basketball and not feeling too happy about it the morning after, when they wake up clutching a bottle of Advil and an ice pack or two.

Here's a breakdown of the significant injuries plaguing the remaining playoff teams as we enter several Game 6 and Game 7 scenarios, or the Conference Finals for "sure-thing" Detroit.

David West - aggravated back

West was noticeably hobbled in Game 5, even clutching his back at times. So what's the best way to make sure that back keeps healing? Get a hard pick to the back from Robert Horry. Horry's contributions during his incredible career are inescapable: big shot after big shot, be it on a crucial possession or the body of another player. For the record, I don't think Horry is a "dirty" player, and I don't think this was necessarily a cheap shot. But West left the game and his status going into Game 7 is unconfirmed. However, West said at this morning's shoot-around that his back was already feeling better, and considering he has until Monday to recuperate, I don't see any reason he'll have restricted duty in Game 7. Frankly, the Hornets need West to be West if they want to prevent the Spurs from grabbing the deciding game.

Tyson Chandler - bruised foot

Tyson Chandler's injury was definitely more accidental, as he seemed to brush legs with another player, but ultimately just kind of buckled around the three point line while getting back on defense. The injury was officially reported as a bruised left foot, and while in Game 5 when the injury occurred he seemed to be in a lot of pain, Chandler did not seem significantly bothered by it Game 6; Chandler was still ooping and posted a series-high in scoring. It's a situation similar to West's: given that Game 7 doesn't come until Monday, that gives Tyson three full days and game day to do whatever he and the Hornets medical staff can to nurse the foot back to health. He's equally important to the Hornets chances as well -- Tyson's defense on Tim Duncan has been superb, and if they want to continue to contain him, the Hornets staff need to ensure there are no complications.

Daniel Gibson - separated left shoulder

This is the only semi-significant injury on this list. In the fourth while chasing down a loose ball, Gibson managed to separate his shoulder during a collision. This one really hurts -- not only for Gibson, because a separated shoulder sounds awfully painful -- because the Cavs are trying to push Boston to the limit tonight, and will have to do so without, as Skeets has pointed out many a time, a player who just does not seem to miss big, momentum-changing threes. The MRI revealed that Gibson's injury was indeed a first degree separation, and he's expected to miss 1-2 weeks, assuming everything goes according to schedule. That puts him as a big maybe to return late in the series if the Cavs can make it to the conference finals. Mega bummer for the Cavs, and mega bummer for Gibson, who's really been fighting injuries all season.

Chauncey Billups

After doing the splits in Game 3 against the Magic, the Pistons decided they were gonna play some real basketball and took the series. Good thing too; if Chauncey had tried to come back and play, it could only have spelled trouble. Detroit fans should be breathing many, many sighs of relief that Billups didn't have to finish out that series, and that he's getting plenty of treatment on that hamstring. Still, better safe than sorry -- Pistons fans should root for Cleveland (gasp!) tonight. Ultimately, Billups should be close to 100% come time for the conference finals.