Re: Dubs minus Curry or Clipps revenge
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Seventyniner
There's an argument on both sides here. The Grizz might have made a series against the Clips if Paul and Griffin suffered the same injuries and timings. They had a lot to play for, and Wright sprained his MCL with 6 weeks left in the season.
What's the long-term reinjury risk if you come back too soon from that?
First of all, ligaments (like MCL) are white, not red. They don't have much of a blood supply, which means they are slow to heal. That's just sort of a rule of thumb for body parts - the greater the blood supply, the quicker it heals.
When ligaments are damaged, the body makes collagen to repair them. The problem is, that's a slow process, and serious athletes usually won't/can't take enough time off to let it fully regenerate. And there's the real problem. Ligaments are stretchy like strong rubber bands. If you don't give them enough time to heal the "proper" way, the body will start to patch the ligament with stuff that isn't as stretchy (think of it like scar tissue). That leads to chronic problems, like Tim has - and I suspect Manu has.
One other thing - when athletes sustain injuries like MCL sprains, the first thing that is often done is to give them anti-inflammatory drugs. That cuts down on swelling, pain, and general discomfort. But it stops an important part of the healing process. Bottom line, there's NO substitute for rest, if you want a ligament sprain to fully heal. But we're talking months, and that is rarely considered an option.
BTW - if I had an asset as valuable as Steph Curry, at the early part of his career? He wouldn't see hardwood for at least 3 months. I don't say that because I don't want him to play against the Spurs. If the Warriors are really looking at him as a franchise player, he shouldn't be pounding that MCL any sooner than that - especially with his medical history. He's given them one championship, and there's every chance he can give them more. I wouldn't risk him being at reduced ability, even 95%, for the rest of his career. It's that little edge that makes him special. We'll see if Golden State is really the quality organization the owner says it is.
