Ranking Five NBA Stars Returning From Injury and How Impactful They Can Be This Postseason
Some big names are expected to return to the hardwood sooner rather than later
The NBA postseason is just a little over a week away, and while the playoff pictures in both conferences are still unsettled, fans are already preparing for what could be a nearly two-month run of terrific basketball.
Of course, for the level of play to be as high as it can be, it would help if some currently injured stars can return to the court.
Injuries always have a way of determining how the playoffs turn out, though, for this year, in particular, it seems like there are more stars whose abilities to bounce back from getting hurt will significantly affect how far their respective teams can advance.
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Below are five players returning from injury ranked in terms of how much their presence can impact how these upcoming playoffs turn out.
5. Jimmy Butler, Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves' Jimmy Butler gets the fifth spot on this list because his team is the one in most danger of not even reaching the postseason at this point.
Butler is an irreplaceable member of the team, and his contributions on both ends of the floor serve to elevate his teammates, too.
The good news for Timberwolves fans is that Butler may return before the end of the regular season. Speaking recently to some members of the media, the 28-year-old wing said that he's "this close" to coming back, the Star Tribune reported.
A Timberwolves team that can feature a healthy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns in peak form may not be good enough to topple the truly elite teams out west, but that group will definitely be a nightmare to deal with.
4. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
When Kawhi Leonard is playing at full strength, he can be the best player on the court, regardless of who he's going up against. That's his ceiling.
Unfortunately for the Spurs, Leonard hasn't really been at full strength at any point this season, and it's not even clear that he is going to return for the playoffs.
Coach Gregg Popovich said recently that Leonard will be able to return "when he and his group feel he's ready," per a report from ESPN.
Leonard would've been ranked higher if he had a timetable for a return, but with his status up in the air, it's hard to really bank on him making an impact this postseason.
Still, the potential that he can come back and return to his 2016–17 form makes it impossible to exclude him from this list.
3. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
It's incredibly unfortunate that an errant bump to the head of all things is what's caused Embiid to miss the past few games and potentially a few playoff contests as well, but there is hope that he can return just in time to lead the 76ers.
A medical update from 76ers vice president of athlete care Dr. Daniel Medina revealed that though there is no current timetable for Embiid's return, he is still set to be examined soon.
76ers fans are hoping that Embiid is cleared soon, and if that happens, it's not crazy to think that the team can make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
2. Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics
Had Kyrie Irving stayed healthier this season, he would have been in the MVP conversation, but as it stands now, the Celtics are just monitoring him and hoping that he can come back sooner rather than later.
A recent report from CelticsWire notes that Irving could return around the time near the end of the first round of the playoffs and the start of the second round.
If the Celtics can hold on until then, Irving could be the difference-maker for them in a possible second-round matchup with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
1. Steph Curry, Golden State Warriors
This one is pretty simple. A healthy Steph Curry makes the Warriors the clear-cut favorites to win the NBA Finals.
Curry told CBS Sports' Bill Reiter recently that his injured knee is "coming along pretty well," and he is hoping that he can be ready to play once the postseason begins.
It's rare that a single injury can swing an NBA championship, but things can turn out that way if Curry cannot return to full health.
More news about the upcoming NBA playoffs should be made available soon.
