National Basketball Association

Much Harm Done

Updated Jul. 17, 2020 3:14 p.m. ET

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The 2019-2020 NBA season was supposed to be one of the more exciting ones in recent memory.

Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard both turned up the heat in Los Angeles. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant took their talents to Brooklyn. The Golden State dynasty wasn't done, but it took a significant hit, signaling more parity for the league.

Then, calamity reared its ugly head.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Case in point: the NBA tipped off two primetime games on Tuesday night on TNT. They were supposed to be marquee, can't-miss matchups when the schedules were made before the season.

Unfortunately, injuries snatched the luster out of both.

Ever seen a Sixers graphic featuring Shake Milton?

Graphic artists had no choice considering last night's Lakers-76ers tilt was missing both Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

As for the early TNT game, Caris Levert saved the day for fans with a remarkable 51-point effort.

However, this was supposed to be Kemba Walker vs. Kyrie Irving. Jayson Tatum vs. Kevin Durant.

It wasn't.

But those aren't the only games that had injuries affect the fan viewing experience.

We were supposed to see the New Orleans Pelicans and this year's No. 1 pick Zion Williamson take on the Minnesota Timberwolves and former No. 1 pick Karl-Anthony Towns.

But Towns is sidelined with a fractured wrist.

Also on Tuesday night, the defending Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors traveled to take on Denver.

Of course, you guessed it: one team was lacking its star power.

Steph Curry was supposed to return to the Warriors' lineup on March 1, after suffering a broken hand earlier this season. But he's still recovering.

Golden State is also without Curry's partner-in-crime, who hasn't played at all this season.

Klay Thompson looks to be moving well after that torn ACL suffered in the 2018-19 NBA Finals. Still, while he's back on the floor, he's not back in the game.

There has been an abundance of storylines that have kept the league in a good spot this year.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are chasing 70 wins. LeBron's resurgence in Los Angeles. The emergence of young stars such as Williamson, Ja Morant, Trae Young, Luka Doncic, and Jayson Tatum.

But we can't ignore the fact that injuries to the league's biggest stars have left a scar on this season.

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