Standout performances, thrilling games, and surprise teams have been the overriding stories of the 2024–25 NBA Season. Unfortunately, injuries have become a big story so far, too, with players from different teams getting hurt seemingly by the day. Such was the case on Thursday when the Association’s already long injury list just got longer.
Take a look:
Paul George Reinjures Left Knee
The Philadelphia 76ers haven’t had any luck with their health all season long, and they might have just been dealt another major blow on Thursday.
Paul George, the Sixers’ splashy offseason signing, prematurely left the team’s 117-111 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum after hyperextending his left knee early in the second half. It was the same knee George hyperextended in the preseason, causing him to miss the first five games of the season.
He will be reevaluated, according to Sixers officials.
Warriors Lose De’Anthony Melton for the Season
The Golden State Warriors announced on Thursday they will be without shooting guard De’Anthony Melton for the rest of the season.
This after further testing revealed that his injury—initially ruled as a sprained ACL—was actually worse than originally thought. Further testing showed that the 26-year-old will need to undergo ACL repair, thus sidelining him for the remainder of the 2024–25 NBA Season.
Melton was averaging 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 before his injury.
Norm Powell, Patrick Williams, Lonzo Ball All Sidelined
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Norman Powell and the Chicago Bulls duo of Patrick Williams and Lonzo Ball all will miss a few more games.
Powell already missed the Clippers’ 104-93 victory over the Orlando Magic at Intuit Dome due to a hamstring injury. He will also miss the Clips’ home game against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, according to head coach Tyron Lue. Powell is having a career year so far for the Clippers, averaging 23.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists.
Williams and Ball, on the other hand, are expected to miss at least another week of action due to their injuries. According to the Bulls, Williams’ surgically repaired foot is still inflamed and giving him discomfort. The team is waiting for the swelling to subside before making a determination as to when Williams can come back.
Ball, meanwhile, is still rehabbing his sprained right wrist, which he injured early this season. He is still feeling discomfort in the wrist, the team announced on Thursday, and will likely need more time for recovery.
The injury-prone Williams was norming 9.9 points and 5.0 rebounds before he was sidelined, while Ball was averaging 4.7 points and 3.7 assists in limited minutes.
Alperen Sengun Makes Big Man History
On a more positive note, the Houston Rockets’ Alperen Sengun continues to play some excellent hoops and, in fact, reached a personal and league milestone on Thursday.
Sengun finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 assists in the Rockets’ convincing 130-113 drubbing of the Indiana Pacers at Toyota Center. And, with his two dimes, he hiked his career total to 864.
This means that Sengun is now the NBA record-holder for most assists by a center before turning 23, beating illustrious names such as Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. Sengun just turned 22 last July and is already regarded as among the top bigs in the game. He is posting 18.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this season.
