5 NBA teams most affected by injuries in 2023-24 season so far

Injuries have always been a part of the NBA and affected teams over the years. The league putting the hammer down on teams for resting superstars has not affected the amount of injuries sustained this season. NBA awards now have a minimum of games played for a player to become eligible to win.

Players with reputations for being injury-prone, like Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, have stayed healthy this season. The same can't be said for Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, though, who were criticized for sitting out games early in the campaign.

The Phoenix Suns are lucky to have Durant and nice depth, so they have weathered the early injury bug. The LA Lakers were also ravaged by injuries early on, so LeBron James had no other choice but to put the team on his 38-year-old back.

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NBA teams most affected by injuries in the 2023-24 season

Here are five teams:

#5 Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks were off to a rough start to the season but have since found their stride. The Bucks are third in the Eastern Conference with a 10-5 record. Their main problem was not injuries but are certainly affected by the same this season.

Jae Crowder is out for about eight weeks due to an abdominal tear, while Khris Middleton has not played back-to-back games and full rotation minutes. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard have dealt with calf injuries early in the season.

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#4 LA Lakers

The LA Lakers have a winning record of 9-7 despite their depth being affected by injuries. Jarred Vanderbilt has not suited up this season due to left heel bursitis, while Gabe Vincent is dealing with a minor knee injury and been out for two weeks.

Even LeBron James and Anthony Davis have also dealt with minor injuries. Cam Reddish is the latest player to join their injury list but is not expected to miss a lot of time. The Lakers will need to get healthy to help the team develop some kind of chemistry.

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#3 Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns overhauled their roster in the offseason and decided to build around Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. The Suns acquired a third superstar in Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards this NBA offseason.

However, Beal began the season on the sidelines because of a back injury. He has only played three games, while Booker has appeared in seven games due to a couple of foot injuries. The Suns are lucky to have Durant, who carried them to nine wins this season.

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#2 Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons are the worst team in the NBA, riding a 12-game losing streak. They have a solid young core of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren.

However, Duren is dealing with an ankle injury and only played eight games this sesaon. The Pistons are missing a legitimate scorer because Bojan Bogdanovic has not played this season due to a calf issue.

Monte Morris and Joe Harris, also injured, aare a couple of veterans who could help a young team during a tough time.

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#1 Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are missing players like Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke and Ja Morant this season.

Adams and Clarke are injured, while Morant is serving his 25-game suspension. Xavier Tillman was supposed to help alleviate the Grizzlies' big-man problem but suffered a knee injury.

Luke Kennard, Jake LaRavia and Ziaire Smith are also dealing with minor injuries. Memphis was usually a good team even with injuries in the last two seasons, but it's not the case this campaign, as they have the fourth-worst record in the NBA.

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