You're missing the point. The average NBA player these days is 6'7". An incredibly athletic 6'7". You add that to the wide open style of play in the Western Conference, that's a lot of ground to cover every game and he has to do so while using every bit of his physical abilities every single play. That means having to maneuver around long limbs by jumping in the air when passing, using fakes, using stepbacks and hesitation dribbles, etc. Do you have any idea the physical toll that takes on you?
Now imagine if Pau and those other players a) hadn't been in the league consistently since their early 20s and b) were wing players. Ever notice how all of them -other than Pau for a year or two- played their entire career in the West? They wouldn't have lasted in the East. Especially not if they hadn't come over so early.
The exact same thing happened to Sergio last year. A guy who had actually played in the NBA early on. So imagine a guy like Teo who never has, with all of that mileage on his legs already. Point guard is the most physically demanding position other than small forward.
The only other point guard I can remember coming over so late is Prigioni, and he seems to be a freak of nature in the way he aged.
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NBA Injuries Thread
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NBA season is actually less taxing on players bodies compared to EL + NT schedule that guys like Teodosic have endured. You actually have an offseason when you can regenerate, heal, and get in shape. European guys like Teodosic on average get a week or so off, inbetween their seasons. That is just insane.
The overall number of games might be around the same (30 EL regular season + playoffs + Domestic/Regional leagues 30 - 50 games depending on the country, domestic cups etc). Still the intensity of practices and number of them is much bigger than in the NBA.
So yes, in season might be a little bit easier on Euro guys to play in Europe since there is more room between each individual games, but overall wear on the bodies with each passing year increases exponentially since they never rest. Once you get used to the tempo in NBA, that offseason does wonders for you. Just look at Pau, Scola, Nowitzki all those guys and how they stayed healthy in their late 30s. There would be no chance they could've made it that far in European leagues...
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I really think the NBA grind is getting to Teo's body. There's no doubt that Euro leagues are tough and among the best when it comes to how the game is played but the NBA requires so much more of players physically, especially perimeter players. He's jumping in at thirty and playing heavy minutes. Never played in the NBA before this year. Plus all those national team minutes he's logged. I mean just think of how much he physically has to do to escape and beat NBA athletes. Every play. Every game. That takes a huge toll, especially on a first year player. And he's playing in a Conference and division full of a wide open style of play.
I hope this foot doesn't become a thing and that he can become stronger and more durable as his NBA career goes on.
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Clippers are plagued with injuries. Four important pieces of the team missing, Gallo and Beverley indefinitely AFAIK while the more recent ones are Teodosic again with the same foot injury, and Griffin with a concussion during the game vs Warriors the other night. Teodosic should return by the end of the week while Griffin is still questionable.
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The major recent ones I know of are Jeff Teague being out 2-4 weeks with a knee sprain and Reggie Jackson out 6-8 weeks with a Grade III left ankle sprain.
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NBA Injuries Thread
I figured I'd start a thread for those of us who are too lazy to always scroll through the forum and find the appropriate team thread to post injury updates in.Tags: None
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