A number of unfortunate injuries have already had an impact on the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
During the first weekend, Memphis' Ja Morant, Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo and Miami's Tyler Herro were each forced to exit Game 1 of their respective series while LA's Paul George entered the postseason hobbled by a knee injury.
And while injuries are an accepted reality of the game, the number of players affected has changed the outlook on the postseason.
As injury situations around the NBA continue to develop, The Sporting News has you updated with the latest news regarding injuries to key rotational players for teams in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Click below to go to a specific series.
Latest NBA injury news: Bucks vs. Heat | Celtics vs. Hawks | 76ers vs. Nets | Cavaliers vs. Knicks | Nuggets vs. Timberwolves | Grizzlies vs. Lakers | Kings vs. Warriors | Suns vs. Clippers
Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo — Lower back contusion
Antetokounmpo was forced to exit Game 1 of Milwaukee's first-round series with Miami after suffering a lower back contusion from a fall in the first quarter. He was then ruled out for Games 2 and 3.
It's unclear whether he will be available for Game 4.
Budenholzer tells reporters that there has been progress, but that "these things just aren't always a linear thing." https://t.co/GLk8u4SThV
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) April 22, 2023
MORE: Latest updates on Giannis Antetokounmpo's back injury
Miami Heat
Jimmy Butler — Bruised glute
As Miami cruised to a Game 3 win over Milwaukee, Butler's night ended early after he took a hard fall. The injury, which was deemed a bruised glute, wasn't enough to keep Butler from returning, but
Tyler Herro — Broken right hand
While diving for a loose ball in Game 1 vs. the Bucks, Herro broke the middle and ring fingers on his shooting hand. He was given a recovery timeline of "approximately 4-6 weeks," effectively ending his time in the 2023 NBA Playoffs after just one half.
MORE: Tyler Herro suffers broken right hand in Game 1
Victor Oladipo — Torn right patellar tendon
Oladipo suffered a non-contact knee injury late in the Heat's Game 3 win over the Bucks. The play immediately caused a high level of concern as Oladipo exited the game and went to the locker room for further testing. According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Oladipo's injury is a torn patellar tendon, which will hold him out for the remainder of the playoffs and likely beyond.
Boston Celtics
Danilo Gallinari — Left ACL recovery
On Sept. 2, 2022, Gallinari was diagnosed with a torn ACL in his left knee, an injury sustained while playing for Italy in a FIBA World Cup Qualifier. After undergoing surgery in September, Gallinari has been rehabbing throughout the 2022-23 season but has not been cleared to return.
Marcus Smart — Low back contusion
Smart took a hard fall at the end of Game 3 vs. the Hawks on April 21. After the game, Smart said the fall left him "sore" and the Celtics ruled the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year as questionable for Game 4.
Atlanta Hawks
No injuries
Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid — Sprained right knee
MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid suffered a right knee sprain in Game 3 between the Sixers and Nets. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski Ramona Shelburne, the injury happened while he was defending Brooklyn's Cameron Johnson during the third quarter.
A look an a very scary fall for Embiid. This has been the most dangerous game of the season for him it appears. Right knee is the concern. pic.twitter.com/IZpd0IsNYi
— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) April 21, 2023
He was ruled out for Game 4, but Philadelphia managed to win without him, completing a series sweep.
When asked about Embiid's status after his team's Game 4 win, 76ers coach Doc Rivers told reporters that he was unsure whether Embiid will be cleared to play in the Eastern Conference Semifinals opener.
"I would say, right now, it's probably the same percentage that I said before the game, probably 50 percent, at best," Rivers said.
After sweeping the Nets, Doc Rivers provides the latest news on Joel Embiid's status for the beginning of Round 2 | @FultonBank pic.twitter.com/67sFvWLIic
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 22, 2023
Brooklyn Nets
Ben Simmons — Nerve impingement (back)
Simmons last played on Feb. 15 before being taken out of the lineup with issues in his knee and back. On March 28, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn informed reporters that Simmons would be out for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs to begin a rehab program.
MORE: Why Ben Simmons won't play in Nets vs. 76ers series
Cleveland Cavaliers
No injuries
New York Knicks
Quentin Grimes — Right shoulder contusion
Grimes, a full-time starter for New York, suffered a shoulder injury in Game 3 of the team's first-round series with Cleveland. After initially being ruled as questionable, Grimes was ruled out for Game 4, causing a change in the Knicks' starting unit.
Denver Nuggets
No injuries
Minnesota Timberwolves
Jaden McDaniels — Fractured right hand
McDaniels, one of the league's most gifted young perimeter defenders, sustained a fractured right hand when he punched a wall in frustration during the Timberwolves' regular-season finale. Minnesota has ruled McDaniels out indefinitely.
Naz Reid — Fractured left wrist
After suffering a left wrist injury on March 29, Reid underwent surgery to repair a left scaphoid fracture on April 5. The Timberwolves have ruled Reid out indefinitely and, according to Wojnarowski, the team would need to make a deep run in order for Reid to have a chance to return.
Memphis Grizzlies
Steven Adams — Sprained right PCL
On Jan. 22, Adams suffered a sprained PCL in his right knee and has been sidelined since. As the regular season came to a close, Wojnarowski reported that Adams' knee will likely keep him out for the entirety of the playoffs.
Brandon Clarke — Left Achilles surgery
Clarke suffered a torn left Achilles tendon on March 3. Three days later, he announced that he had undergone successful surgery to repair the injury. As with all Achilles injuries, Clarke is expected to miss between nine months to a full calendar year.
Ja Morant — Right hand soreness
Morant re-aggravated a right hand injury after a fall in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the Lakers. The original injury happened in a regular season game against the Bucks on April 7. Imaging came back clean on both occasions, so Morant's injury has been ruled "right hand soreness."
After going through his pregame workout, Morant was ruled out for Game 2. The Grizzlies managed to get a win without their star point guard, tying their series with the Lakers at 1-1.
An hour before Game 3, the Grizzlies announced that Morant would return to the starting lineup after missing a game due to his injury.
.@memgrizz status update:
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) April 23, 2023
Ja Morant will start Game 3 tonight against the @Lakers. https://t.co/K6KMWi5Lr9
Los Angeles Lakers
No injuries
Sacramento Kings
Matthew Dellavedova — Right index finger surgery
After sustaining a fracture on March 29, Dellavedova underwent successful surgery on April 5. He is expected to make a full recovery, but his status for the postseason is unclear.
Golden State Warriors
Andre Iguodala — Left wrist surgery
Iguodala fractured his left wrist on March 13 and underwent surgery to stabilize the fracture on March 21. He was initially given a four-week timeline for re-evaluation and on April 22, the team announced that Iguodala would again be re-evaluated in two weeks' time, meaning the team would need to make a deep run in order for Iguodala to return.
Jordan Poole — Left ankle sprain
Poole sprained his left ankle in Game 1 against the Kings. He has not yet missed a playoff game, but Klay Thompson told reporters that Poole is "playing with half a foot right now."
Phoenix Suns
Cameron Payne — Lower back soreness
Payne took a hard fall on April 7 and has been nursing a sore lower back ever since. The injury held him out of Phoenix's final regular season game and the first four games of the NBA Playoffs.
LA Clippers
Paul George — Sprained right knee
On March 21, George went down with a right knee injury that was jarring visually. Despite the perceived nature of his injury, George was diagnosed with a sprained right knee, leaving the door open for a potential return in the playoffs.
However, Wojnarowski has reported that George will "likely" miss the entirety of the opening round.
Kawhi Leonard — Sprained right knee
In addition to George, the Clippers have been missing Leonard, who aggravated his knee in Game 1 against the Suns and played through the injury in Game 2, according to Wojnarowski. He was ruled out for Games 3 and 4.
Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank described Leonard's status as "day-to-day."
Lawrence Frank says that Kawhi Leonard is day-to-day, and declined to elaborate on specifics on degree of severity of Leonard's knee sprain in regards to Paul George's knee sprain last month. pic.twitter.com/SBjtdHglFl
— Law Murray ❎️ (@LawMurrayTheNU) April 21, 2023
Leonard's knee sprain is not related to the ACL injury that kept him out the entire 2021-22 season, per Wojnarowski.
