Ben Gordon’s shoulder injury has bothered him all season
“I did it in practice, on that side of the court, in training camp,” he said, his first disclosure that the injury was suffered in preseason. “That was the first time I did whatever I did to it. Then, in games, I kept getting hit in the same area, and it never really got a chance to get back to what it was.”
An MRI last Saturday, when Gordon first missed a game in a win over Portland, indicated multiple issues in the shoulders, including “a couple tears,” Gordon said.
“It wasn’t really one issue,” Gordon, adding he also had multiple contusions and has developed tendinitis in the shoulder. “Each time I played, it may have gotten a little bit worse, because the last couple games, before the MRI, it was hard to even raise my arms to shoot the basketball.”
Perhaps, Ben Gordon’s injury explains his poor shooting (42.2 percent). Still, I’m not convinced an eighth-year player with such a limiting injury will be the rare case who bucks his trend of decline.
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Jan 27, 2012 • 1:27 pm
by sebastian
Great! Now, WE can’t even move Ben G. An overpriced, undersized 2-Guard with a shooting shoulder that has torn ligaments can’t be traded for a pair of shoe strings.
I guess WE will be stuck with Ben G. for the remainder of the season.
Dam(n)!!!
Jan 27, 2012 • 2:19 pm
by Laser
@Feldman: Of course you’re not convinced he’ll be the rare player who bucks this trend. You dismissed many highly important variables to come to the ill-founded conclusion that he was finished, so why not dismiss this one too? Guys in their physical prime suddenly forget how to shoot the basketball ALL THE TIME for no reason at all. The circumstances aren’t important. It doesn’t matter how many minutes he gets or who’s on the floor with him, who’s setting his screens and getting him the ball at the right time and place, how short his leash is, or how bad his entire team looked at all times, virtually everybody wildly underperforming. It’s not a systematic problem. It’s a Ben Gordon problem. Obviously. That’s what people who truly understand basketball and analyze it thoroughly and responsibly know. People who look at all the information and weigh it against the cold hard statistics are clueless.
@Sebastian: We’ve never been able to trade BG for a pair of shoe strings. His contract is a bloody nightmare, and on his best day he’s an extremely limited player. He could have both of his legs amputated, and it’s not going to affect his trade value. We will be stuck with him not for the remainder of the season, but for the remainder of his contract. That was never changing. Stop confusing yourself. He’s got one of the very worst contracts in the league. He’s either amnestied or untradeable until he’s got an expiring contract.
Jan 27, 2012 • 2:41 pm
by Patrick Hayes
When did Feldman write that Gordon was “finished?”
Seriously, you are the worst commenter in the history of the internet. That’s not hyperbole. There have been terrible commenters on this site before who I’ve hated, but even those guys are preferable at this point. Some people make poor arguments because that’s all they have the ability to express.
You are so much worse because you willingly pull things out of context, draw conclusions that aren’t there and are also arrogant, insufferable and a know-it-all.
“That’s what people who truly understand basketball and analyze it thoroughly and responsibly know.”
The funny thing about that line is you actually think you’re one of those people. You’re not. Not that I am either, but you’re so far from it it’s laughable really.
Jan 27, 2012 • 2:56 pm
by Steve K
Oof, PH, you know there are way worse commenters. How about the guy who writes: “first”?
I enjoy Laser’s comments. He just hates Joe D, perhaps more than all of us combined. And I think frustration with Joe D and the team causes all of us to spew venom.
Jan 27, 2012 • 3:02 pm
by Patrick Hayes
By “worst” I’m speaking in terms of level of driving me personally insane. Yes, there are more annoying in general out there.
Jan 27, 2012 • 3:00 pm
by Dynamizer
Love this post PH! And I see what you did there with “no-it-all”
Jan 27, 2012 • 3:02 pm
by Patrick Hayes
Haha, actually, that was just a typo.
Jan 27, 2012 • 3:43 pm
by Dynamizer
Haha, well placed typo
Jan 27, 2012 • 7:10 pm
by Dan Feldman
When have I ever blamed Gordon for his struggles? He’s declined for myriad reasons, I’d say. But my point is there are so many so many things going wrong for him that it’s extremely unlikely enough of them change that he becomes a quality scorer again.
Jan 27, 2012 • 2:23 pm
by Steve K
Injury or not, he’s un-tradeable.
At least with the injury, it hastens the development of the other guards. It gives the chance for Stuckey and Knight to start together. It also opens up a spot for Walker D, who, in his brief time, has shown how a point guard can run an offense without only looking for his own… or dumping it to Tayshaun for an iso.
His injury is ultimately beneficial for the Pistons.
Sorry, Ben, but it’s a good thing for the fans. Enjoy your millions. You’ll be on a different team next year, and maybe your shot will return.