In one of the greatest NBA underdog stories of this decade, Tyrese Haliburton led the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals after 4 rounds of nerve-racking playoff wins. But in Game 7, against one of the most dominant teams in the league, the Oklahoma City Thunder, NBA fans across the world held their breath. With just 4 minutes and 55 seconds left in the first half, Haliburton collapsed while driving to the rim, tearing his Achilles tendon in one of the most important games of his life.
Tyrese Haliburton’s injury was not an isolated event. Throughout the 2025 NBA playoffs, many other star players went down with season-ending injuries, such as Damien Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks and Jason Tatum of the Boston Celtics. This leads to an important question: Are we seeing a genuine spike in injury rates in the NBA, or are these high-profile injuries simply more visible than ever before?
According to The Ringer, the 2024-25 season saw the highest number of players who missed games due to injury. Over 6,000 total games were missed, which is more than in the past two decades. Achilles tendon injuries alone have jumped from zero to seven in one season.
Those numbers show that a real problem is occurring. The modern game is faster, more intense, and more physically demanding, and players cover more ground than ever before. Still, considering a variety of factors, such as travel fatigue, minimal rest, and an 82-game schedule, the increase in injuries is no surprise.
Yet, perception plays a role. Injuries are perceived as more common because the NBA is more mainstream. The 2025 playoffs alone were the most-watched in 25 years, bringing in an average of 25 million viewers per game.
With the league’s current marketing formula built around the NBA’s biggest stars, every injury carries more weight. When a bench player goes down, it is less of a concern. Yet, when the league’s star player is out, the media covers this news for days.
So, what is the final verdict? The data shows that injuries are more common than ever before. Yet, the perception of this “injury crisis” is still overblown by the nonstop media attention.
In truth, the NBA’s injury story is complicated. Players are pushing harder than ever, and at the same time, the number of viewers has spiked. When Haliburton went down in the deciding championship game, his injury was watched by millions, replayed by millions, and read in the news by millions. That’s why Haliburton’s injury feels like the tip of the iceberg, because the league has never been under brighter lights.
