The 2022 NBA playoffs are finally here with the first games of the first round tipping off Saturday. Even though some teams have had more than a week to rest up and recover, there still are some injuries to take note of ahead of the first round. Here the key players dealing with injuries ahead of the first playoff games.
2022 NBA Playoffs, first round: Injury Report
The biggest injury news is Dallas Mavericks star guard Luka Doncic missing Game 1 with a calf strain. Doncic picked up this injury in the last game of the regular season, and the Mavericks haven’t officially provided any timeline for his return. If Doncic doesn’t come back, it’s hard to see the Mavericks winning the series against the Jazz.
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry is probable to play Saturday with a foot injury. Curry has progressed well in the days leading up to the game and even though he’s set to be on a minutes limit, he’ll likely start and play key stretches for Golden State. Toronot Raptors forward OG Anunoby played 25 minutes in the last game of the regular season, so we’ll see if he gets more run as he works back from a quad injury. Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brooklyn Nets guard Seth Curry are all expected to be available for their respective series.
The status of Nets guard Ben Simmons is still up in the air. There are reports of Simmons potentially coming back in the middle of the first round, but head coach Steve Nash continues to be pessimistic about Simmons’ rehab when publicly commenting on the player.
There are some role players who are dealing with issues, like Minnesota Timberwolves forward Taurean Prince, Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber, Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder and Miami Heat forward PJ Tucker. These players are all likely to be listed as questionable or probable, but should have gotten enough recovery time to play in Game 1.