We hate to see any player in the league go down with an injury, but injuries play a huge part of every single NBA season. Sometimes, they result in championship-contending teams missing out on their golden opportunity to do something great and other times, they open the door for another player to break through onto the scene. 

This season, injuries have continued to play a key role in determining how things have gone this season and they have once again ruined multiple team’s chances to be great. Just looking at the Orlando Magic and the Indiana Pacers, two playoff teams from a season ago, it is clear to see how much injuries have impacted both of their chances to do something with this season. 

Starting with the Magic, Jonathan Isaac tore his ACL in the NBA Bubble in August, Markelle Fultz tore his ACL 8 games into this season and they have dealt with plenty of other injuries to key players all season long. As a result, the Magic started the season as one of the worst teams in the league and have decided to completely rebuild as a result, trading away their top three players in Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier at the trade deadline. 

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For the Pacers, injuries have played a huge role in their lack of success over the years and the “injury bug” continued to negatively affect them this season. Just four games into the season, potential breakout star T.J. Warren went down with a foot injury that will keep him out for the remainder of the season. They also did not get Caris LeVert until March due to a cancerous mass on his kidney.

Now, Malcolm Brogdon, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner have all been dealing with injuries and the Pacers currently find themselves holding onto the 9-seed in the Eastern Conference. 

We hate to see injuries to some of the league top stars and with all of the injuries this season, the playoffs and team’s championship odds have definitely been affected. With that said, let’s take a look at four injuries that have and will have a huge impact on the 2021 NBA Finals and the potential teams that will play for a championship.