Every NBA postseason has its fair share of major injuries to key players, and the 2025 NBA Playoffs were no exception to this fact. Tyrese Haliburton was the last addition to the list of major names impacted by injury this postseason, as early in the first quarter of Game 7, Haliburton suffered a torn right Achilles tendon. The Pacers’ All-Star guard was not the only one injured during the Playoffs, and he certainly wasn’t the only new face to make a shot for the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Key Injured Players

At least six key players missed time during the Playoffs. Here is a full list of the players.

  • Stephen Curry (Suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain in Game 1 vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves)
  • Jayson Tatum (Tore right Achilles tendon in Game 4 vs. the New York Knicks)
  • Ja Morant (Suffered a left hip contusion in Game 3 vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder)
  • Damian Lillard (Tore left Achilles tendon in Game 4 vs. the Indiana Pacers)
  • Darius Garland (Sprained left big toe in Game 2 vs. the Miami Heat, missed two games in that series, two more vs. the Indiana Pacers)
  • Evan Mobley (Sprained left ankle in Game 1 vs. the Indiana Pacers, would miss Game 3 but return for Games 4 and 5, only to lose 4-1)

Here is a list of players who played through injuries but did not miss more than one game, excluding Haliburton.

  • Giannis Antetokounmpo (Calf/foot strain)
  • Jalen Brunson (Sprained right ankle)
  • Karl-Anthony Towns (bruised left knee and ligament damage in left finger)
  • Lebron James (Grade 2 MCL sprain in the fourth quarter of Game 5 vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves)
  • Luka Doncic (Illness and back injury after falling in the second quarter of Game 5 vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves)
  • Anthony Edwards (Sprained left ankle)
  • Aaron Gordon (Grade 2 left hamstring strain, left Game 6 vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder, came back in Game 7 but only played 24 minutes)
  • Michael Porter Jr. (Grade 2 AC joint sprain in left shoulder)
  • Kristaps Porzingis (Battled with an upper respiratory illness in every game vs the New York Knicks)

New Faces And Teams

The plethora of injuries spread across the Playoffs was detrimental to some teams’ success, but also allowed new teams to step up amid their absence. The obvious outliers were Haliburton’s Pacers and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder, as both had chances to win their first championship in franchise history.

In the Eastern Conference, Cade Cunningham battled with the Knicks, ultimately losing in six games, but Cunningham helped lead the Detroit Pistons to their third playoff appearance since 2016.

After defeating the Pistons, Brunson and Anthony-Towns also led the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in twenty-five years.

On the other side of the bracket, Edwards led the Timberwolves to their second Western Conference Finals matchup in the last two years. And the Timberwolves also had a legitimate shot at winning their first championship in franchise history.

Cunningham, Brunson, Edwards, along with Haliburton and Gilgeous-Alexander, all played at All-Star talent levels, elevating their teams in the Playoffs. They showed why they are the next superstars of the league and that they can rise to the challenge of playing at a high level in the Playoffs in the coming years.

End Of My 2025 NBA Playoffs Rant

While injuries plagued the playoffs, they allowed other stars to rise in the absence of those who were hurt. But the frequency of injuries suggests a more alarming pattern that could be cause for concern once the Playoffs roll around next year.

To combat this problem, the NBA could look to shortening its regular season from the original 82-game mark to something shorter. They could also reduce the number of back-to-back games that teams have to play, thereby reducing the injury risk for players. Or they could reduce the number of games that teams must play in each round of the Playoffs, while giving them more time in between games.

At the annual Finals news conference, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told reporters that he does not believe that solution would help the NBA’s injury problem.

People used to say you should reduce the number of games because it will lead to a reduction of injuries… If that were the case, you’d think you’d have more injuries in April than in October, we don’t see that. 

Whatever the solution may be, the NBA needs to find a way to reduce the number of injuries to players in the postseason. That way, every team can healthily thrive in the Playoffs, including the ones with up-and-coming stars.