Is 2013 The Asterisk Year For The NBA Championship?

Is The Road To Easy This Year? Photo Credit Miami Heat

Written by Rodney Fisher

Everyone knows that injuries happen in sports that change to future for better or worse for some teams. Never in the NBA has there been such a plethora of injuries to big stars on playoff teams that will directly influence who will be crowned 2013 NBA Champions. With that in mind, is this the year that needs an asterisk by the champion?

History shows that injuries change the course for teams in the NBA. In 1989, with the Lakers ready to three-peat as champions, Magic Johnson went down in The Finals and the Detroit Pistons swept them. The year before, 1988, it was Isiah Thomas with his sprained ankle 25-points in the 3rd quarter performance in game six. The Pistons however lost that 1988 series.



There was the Kendrick Perkins injury in 2010 with the Boston Celtics. The James Worthy injury in 1983 that allowed the Philadelphia 76ers to win and even Yao Ming's broken foot in 2009 that not only ended the Rockets chances, but eventually Yao's career.

Nobody in Dallas will ever forget 2005. The Mavericks make it to the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, only to see Dirk go down in game three.

In any given year, in any sport, there will be one or two injuries that effect the outcome of the playoffs. This year in the NBA has to go down as the worst ever.

Just think about the Western Conference for a second. The team that wins the West does not have to overcome Kobe Bryant with the Lakers, Galinari with the Nuggets, and Russell Westbrook with the Thunder. Even the Los Angeles Clippers don't seem the same with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin both nursing injuries.

In the Eastern Conference, no team will have to play the Chicago Bulls with Derrick Rose for a second year in a row. They also will not have to face Rajon Rondo with the Boston Celtics either.

Winning a championship in any sport is hard work and a team effort, but the road in the NBA doesn't seem so tough.

Follow Rodney Fisher on twitter @RodneyRFisher

[What is your opinion? Leave your comments below]