The 2025 NBA Playoffs were filled with memorable moments, including a seven-game Finals matchup between two franchises seeking their first-ever championships. But this postseason is plagued by several unfortunate long-term injuries to stars. Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard and Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton will all be sidelined for the entirety of next season due to the same injury — a ruptured Achilles tendon.
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All three injuries came without contact. Dame twisted awkwardly while trying for a rebound against Hali’s Pacers in the first round, effectively ending his season and any title hopes the Bucks had. And Tatum was fighting for a loose ball when he went down in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Haliburton’s was arguably the most unfortunate, though, as the two-time All-Star had already been fighting through a calf injury while suiting up in the NBA Finals. The star playmaker had the ball in his hands, but one wrong explosion off his back leg dealt a massive blow to Indiana’s magical season.
Achilles injuries have always been an issue in the NBA, but not this prominent. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce managed to end their Hall of Fame careers without suffering the possibly career-altering injury. The Big Ticket wanted to find the root of the problem and discussed his findings on a recent episode of KG Certified.
“Today’s NBA players, they do play at a fast rate, but I don’t think they’re in tip-top shape,” the legendary big man shared. “I think they think they’re in shape, until they talk to motherf***ers that’s in shape … I don’t think the league is in the type of shape you need to be in to play at this pace.”
The former Defensive Player of the Year explained the importance of having sturdy and stretched calves, as they serve as brakes in a sport that is constant stop-and-go. The calves are supported by the Achilles, so if a player already has a nagging calf, their Achilles is oftentimes the next thing to go, according to Garnett.
“I watched all of the tapes of Kob, Tatum and Hali. When you watch how all three of them pulled they s**t, they pulled it the same way,” KG explained. The Timberwolves icon then pointed out the difference between how guards and bigs pump fake. He believes guards’ top-heavy fake contributes to the injury.
“Paul [Pierce], Kob, Tracy [McGrady], when they would give you something because they was wings, they can give you a pump fake from here. It didn’t have to be dramatic. They were so prolific with the shot that you had to honor it,” Garnett continued. Superstar guards shortcutting their movements has come at a price, though.
Garnett also placed some blame on the trainers, who he believes aren’t prioritizing the correct leg exercises that help players avoid these catastrophic predicaments. “Some of the trainers were talking about the lack of calf raises for some of the players to end their workout,” KG said.
“Bro, we used to end a workout, especially on a leg day, calf raises. This is how I’m speeding up, this is how I’m stopping. This is my whole wiggle.” Unless the correct precautionary measures are implemented, more of these injuries are bound to happen.
The NBA has used more funding on training than ever before. The pair of Celtics greats recalled that when they were in the league, teams would often only have two trainers. Now, teams may have a double-digit number of trainers on payroll. Today’s NBA stars are equipped with all the tools to stay healthy, but it also requires dedication and sacrifice to keep their bodies in professional shape.
