SelbyCobra wrote:Sark wrote:SelbyCobra wrote:
For the record I didn't ask that question as a setup, I asked it because I read your post, really disagreed with "perpetuating the myth that KP's injury will haunt him forever", and since I was at a kids' sporting event I couldn't do the research right then.
I honestly couldn't think of any. And I feel Al Jefferson actually supports my case - that was a young, dynamic bigman who was the centerpiece in the Garnett trade, and had his best season in the one he got hurt. He was on the upswing, and while he came close in later years to the same level of production he posted the year he got hurt, he never fully came back to even that level. He was 24 and seen as a franchise cornerstone when he got hurt, and it turns out that was the pinnacle of a career many people thought was on it's way to another stratosphere. They traded him less than two years later.
If KP's career production trajectory is going to mimic Jefferson's in terms of how he comes back, the Mavs are in a boatload of trouble in my opinion. Regardless, my main point in responding to your initial post was that I don't think that Porzingis' injury is in any way something that is a layup to come back from. In fact, because of his physical profile I think it's actually something that presents strong odds at impacting his career dramatically, whether an instant ceiling upon his return or further problems down the road. David West was not the same, Nerlens Noel never panned out, Gallinari had comparable rate stats upon his return but couldn't stay on the court, Nene came back and became a great backup bigman, but like you said, there haven't been many.
And I'm not insinuating anything at all about Durant and his achilles for the record - it's a horrific injury with a poor track record. Just that I don't think Porzingis is in any way free and clear.
I'm not a doctor, but I don't think it works that way though. It's not like if you're above a certain height you won't recover, and if you're below you will. Everyone has a different physiology, and heals differently.
The fact is that ACLs are a much easier injury to recover from compared to Achilles tears. Of course there is risk for both, but one is significantly worse than the other. It's like comparing a knife wound to a gun shot. Both can be deadly, but the gun shot tends to worse.
I agree with you completely here - no argument from me. I would only push back a little on serious knee/ankle/foot injuries being traditionally worse for big men.
But you're talking about a total "derangement of the knee." Like what Berens Davids had. In those cases, there's also cartilage damage, which, to me, is worse than the ligament tears because now you're talking about the decay of that cushion that keeps you from going bone-on-bone. (I had that. There was nothing worse than that. By the time I found a doctor/hospital who could help me (HSS) over a year later, the medial side of my knee joint was wearing away causing my right leg to begin to bow outward. I couldn't believe it wore down that much, that quickly.)
As for the Achilles, they all those that burst and quickness. They're just slower players. And at his age? Please.
So, think of KD who can only go up to 4th gear instead of 5th with the Turbo.
