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Benefits of Playing Basketball: Injury Prevention and Risks

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Injuries from playing basketball, injury prevention during basketball.

• Bianchi, R., Mamo, C., Riva, D., & Rocca, F. (2016). Proprioceptive Training and Injury Prevention in a Professional Men's Basketball Team: A Six-Year Prospective Study. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 30(2), 461475.doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000001097.
• Hagel, B., Meeuwisse, W. H., & Sellmer, R. E. (2003). Rates and Risks of Injury during Intercollegiate Basketball. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 31(3), 379–385.

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Basketball Sports Medicine and Science pp 673–685 Cite as

Practical Guidelines for Injury Prevention in Basketball: How to Get it Right

• Steve Short 7  
• First Online: 06 October 2020

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Musculoskeletal injury is one of the major adverse events from physical activity and competitive basketball. Time loss away from the court has the potential to physically and mentally impair athletes and impact numerous stakeholders involved [1, 2]. Additionally, prior injury history has been identified as a risk factor for future injury [3]. With these key considerations, reducing the risk of initial injury or future injury following a rehabilitation is of significant interest to all vested parties. While identifying common injuries and risk factors involved in basketball participation may be of clinical importance, the current evidence-base suggests that a strong focus of injury prevention should be placed on properly dosed exercise strategies.

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Short, S. (2020). Practical Guidelines for Injury Prevention in Basketball: How to Get it Right. In: Laver, L., Kocaoglu, B., Cole, B., Arundale, A.J.H., Bytomski, J., Amendola, A. (eds) Basketball Sports Medicine and Science. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-61070-1_53

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Basketball Injuries

Basketball injuries are some of the most varied sports injuries! They commonly range from the fingertip to the toe and everything in between! This is because of the use of the hands, wrists, fingers, and arms for throwing, as well as the running, jumping, bounding and changing direction, partial contact, and a lack of protective clothing!

Common basketball injuries

Finger sprains

A sprained finger occurs when the finger is bent causing damage to the ligaments which connect bones together. It is a common injury in ball games such as netball, American football, basketball, cricket, handball etc. Symptoms include pain in the finger at the time of injury with swelling likely to develop over the joint and restricted movement in the finger. Later on, pain is likely to be more specific when bending the finger. Read more on treatment for finger sprains.

Rotator cuff injuries

A rotator cuff strain is a tear to any of the four rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder and is common in throwing and racket sports. They are so-called because their job is to rotate the arm at the shoulder and provide a supportive cuff around the joint. Treatment consists of reducing pain and inflammation followed by a full rehabilitation program consisting of mobility, strengthening, and sports-specific exercises. Read more on the treatment and rehabilitation of rotator cuff strain.

Ankle Sprain

A sprained ankle is one of the most common sports injuries and is also the most frequently re-injured. In the majority of cases, the ankle rolls inwards (inversion) under the weight of the rest of the body, resulting in damage to the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. Read more about treatment and prevention of ankle sprains.

Achilles tendonitis

Achilles tendonitis (also known as Achilles tendinopathy or Achilles tendinosis) is an overuse injury causing pain, inflammation, and or degeneration of the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle. If this type of injury is not caught early this can be difficult to cure but with the right treatment and particularly eccentric strengthening exercises, a full recovery can usually be achieved. Read more on treatment and rehabilitation of Achilles tendonitis.

Buy Achilles Straps

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Jumpers knee

Jumper’s knee or patellar tendonitis is an overuse injury that results in pain at the front of the knee, localised at a point towards the bottom of the kneecap. Repetitive strain from too much running or jumping causes inflammation or degeneration of the patella tendon. Patellar tendonitis can be a tricky condition to treat and requires a substantial period of rest and a thorough treatment and rehabilitation program. Read more on the causes and treatment of Jumper’s knee .

Medial knee ligament sprain

Medial ligament sprain or MCL injury is a tear of the ligament on the inside of the knee, it is usually a result of direct impact or twisting motion. A medial ligament injury is common in contact sports such as football and rugby, as well as martial arts. They can also occur in daily life through falls and twists of the knee joint. Read more on the treatment and rehabilitation of medial ligament sprain .

Hamstring strain

Hamstring strain commonly known as a pulled hamstring is sudden sharp pain at the back of the thigh. Treatment for this injury involves immediate first aid of rest, ice, and compression followed by a full rehabilitation and exercise program. Symptoms of a hamstring strain include pains whilst sprinting or a fast stretching movement or a high kick. Read more on the treatment of hamstring strains.

Foam Rollers

Shin splints

Pain at the front of the lower leg is commonly referred to as shin splints . Usually, symptoms occur at the front inside of the shin bone but can arise from a number of causes. We explain the symptoms, treatment, and rehabilitation of medial tibial stress syndrome to cure and prevent it from recurring. Read more on how to prevent and treat shin splints .

Should I seek professional treatment?

If you have suffered a basketball injury with any of the following symptoms you should seek further medical assistance.

• Severe pain, especially on walking
• Severe swelling (oedema)
• Altered sensation in the foot – such as a feeling of “pins and needles” (paresthesia) or a “loss of feeling” (anaesthesia).
• Unable to complete normal daily activities after the initial 72 hours.

Further medical assistance can be sought through either your local GP or a private clinician such as a podiatrist, physiotherapist, sports therapist, osteopath or chiropractor. If you have followed the P.R.I.C.E. principles (see below) and are still unable to walk after 72 hours or still have severe pain that is not subsiding after the first 72 hours you should visit your local A&E department for further assessment.

Secondly, if you have applied for P.R.I.C.E. principles and still have weakness that lasts a long time (more than 2 weeks) or have ongoing discomfort in your foot or heel, you are highly recommended to seek advice from a specialist expert – such as a podiatrist or physiotherapist, osteopath, or chiropractor – who can provide you with advice and an appropriate and effective recovery and rehabilitation program.

Immediate first aid for acute basketball injuries

The PRICE principles are the gold standard set for treating acute sports injuries. The acronym stands for Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation and should be applied as early as possible and continued for at least the first 24-72 hours.

Protection of the damaged tissue is vital to prevent further damage and enable the healing process to start efficiently and effectively. There are a number of ways to protect the injured area all with the same aim of limiting further movement and use of the joint/ muscle/ligament/tendon. One way this can be achieved is by using a support or splint.

Rest – in the early stages, rest is one of the most important components of the P.R.I.C.E principle but is often neglected or ignored. It does not only refer to the prolonged period of time that the athlete will be out of action but also to the immediate period after the injury.

An athlete must know when to stop training and allow the injured area to heal otherwise repetitive minor injuries can often result in a more severe injury that keeps the athlete out for much longer.

If an injury is sustained during sporting activity some athletes have a tendency to ‘run it off’. This implies that by continuing to participate in the exercise, the injury will simply go away. In fact, in the majority of cases, this is not true and is not advisable.

Ice therapy, also known as cryotherapy, is one of the most widely known and used treatment modalities for acute sports injuries. It is cheap, easy to use and requires very little time to or expertise to prepare.

The application of ice to an injury, in the acute phase, can substantially decrease the extent of the damage. It achieves this in a number of different ways:

• Decreases the amount of bleeding by closing down the blood vessels (called vasoconstriction).
• Reduces pain (pain gate theory)
• Reduces muscle spasm
• Reduces the risk of cell death (also called necrosis) by decreasing the rate of metabolism

Ice is usually applied to the injured site by means of a bag filled with crushed ice which is wrapped in a damp towel. The damp towel is essential as it forms a barrier between the bag of ice and the skin and reduces the risk of an ice burn.

DO NOT leave the ice on for more than 15 minutes as you could cause an ice burn.

There are a small number of areas that you should not apply ice to which include the neck, the outside bone of the elbow, the collarbone (upper end), the front of the hip (bony part) and the outer bone of the knee. The reason for this is there is a superficial nerve just below the skin in these areas that can be damaged by applying ice to it. Always check for contraindications.

Compression – applying compression to an injured area minimises the amount of swelling that forms after an injury in two ways and should be applied for the first 24 to 72 hours from the onset of injury. Compression can be applied through a number of methods. The most effective of these is by using a compression bandage which is an elasticated bandage that simply fits around the affected limb.

Elevation of the injured limb is the final principle of PRICE but is equally as important as the other 4. Elevation allows gravity to drain the fluid away from the injured site. This aids in decreasing the swelling which in turn may decrease the pain associated with the oedema (swelling).

Read more on PRICE principles

About The Author

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Privacy Overview

Rehabilitation of basketball injuries

Affiliation.

• 1 New Jersey Sports Medicine Institute, Verona, NJ 07044, USA. [email protected]
• PMID: 16952753
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pmr.2006.05.009

Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the United States and throughout the world, and therefore represents one of the most common sources of sports-related injuries. Basketball injuries should be managed by the same general rehabilitation principles as other sports injuries. Additionally, the clinician should be aware not only of general sports injuries but of those injuries most commonly seen in basketball players. By maintaining knowledge of the most common basketball injuries as well as their diagnosis and treatment, the clinician can help to optimize the athlete's return to play and enjoyment of the sport.

• Ankle Injuries / etiology
• Ankle Injuries / physiopathology
• Ankle Injuries / rehabilitation*
• Basketball / injuries*
• Exercise Therapy
• Knee Injuries / etiology
• Knee Injuries / physiopathology
• Knee Injuries / rehabilitation*

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Injuries in Wheelchair Basketball Players: A Systematic Review

Karina sá.

1 Faculty of Physical Education, State University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-851, Brazil; rb.moc.lou@alrogij

Anselmo Costa e Silva

2 Graduate Program in Human Movement Sciences, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, Brazil; rb.apfu@scomlesna

José Gorla

Andressa silva.

3 School Physical Education, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; rb.ten.ollemed@asserdna

Marília Magno e Silva

4 Faculty of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66075-110, Brazil; rb.apfu@ongamailiram

Associated Data

Not applicable.

Background: Sports injuries have physical and psychological effects that negatively affect sports performance. Although there are data available on sports injuries in wheelchair basketball, some aspects need to be clarified, such as the location, mechanisms and risk factors for injury, which are not well described due to variations and/or a lack of definition of injury. The aim of this study was to determine epidemiological information, primary injury characteristics and affected body regions in wheelchair basketball players; Methods: The PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases were used; Results: eight articles were included in this review. The shoulder was the body region most affected (N = 60; 22.1%). When divided by body segments, the upper limbs were the most affected (N = 128; 47.2%), followed by the head and/or face (N = 53; 19.5%), trunk (included spine and ribs) (N = 48; 17.8%) and lower limbs (N = 42; 15.5%); Conclusions: wheelchair basketball players suffer a large number of injuries with different characteristics that are mainly linked to biomechanics and sport. These results can be used to guide coaches in structuring training to minimize recurring injuries, in addition to assisting in the organization of medical teams in competitions.

1. Introduction

Wheelchair basketball (WB) is a Paralympic sport played by two teams of five players each, comprising players with physical impairments who can be allocated to eight different classes (1.0–4.5). The game proceeds at a fast pace, in which, the teams seek to score points in the opponent’s basket. This modality is popular worldwide and has been present in all editions of the Paralympic Games [ 1 ]. Due to being a contact sport and due to the sport’s mechanics, in which, frequent shoulder movements are performed (throwing, passing, chair touching), it is expected that this practice contributes to sports injuries.

Sports injuries have both physical and psychological effects that negatively affect sports performance. Once injured, an athlete may need to abstain from the activity, which may vary from days to months [ 2 ]. The longer the withdrawal period, the more common it is to observe detraining, as well as a loss of strength and agility. In addition, psychological conditions are also related to injuries, such as anxiety, stress, depression, fear of reinjury and low self-esteem [ 3 ]. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms, impact and prevention of sports injuries in Paralympic sports.

A study performed at the London 2012 Paralympic Games observed a variation in the epidemiology of injuries between sports and drew attention to the need for specific longitudinal studies for each of the different modalities [ 4 ]. In London 2012, WB recorded 34 injuries, 65% of which were acute injuries, and 23% of which were overuse injuries [ 5 ]. In the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, 4504 interventions were recorded, in which, 399 players were treated by the physiotherapy service. For this competition, eight WB players sought physical therapy, totaling 11 treatments [ 6 ], with traumatic injuries being the primary incidents [ 7 ].

Although several studies on Olympic sports have identified injuries [ 8 , 9 , 10 ], Paralympic sports still lack this same evidence. Even though data are available regarding sports injuries in WB [ 5 , 7 ], some aspects need to be clarified. To date, bit data, and details such as location, mechanisms and injury risk factors, are not well-described due to variations and/or a lack of injury definition. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to determine the epidemiological information, primary injury characteristics and body regions affected in WB players.

2. Materials and Methods

This systematic review is presented in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement [ 11 ] and was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Review (PROSPERO; available at: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ ) accessed on 28 May 2020 (registration number: CRD42020159566) [ 12 ]. The study question and other systemic review procedures were addressed with reference to the following PICO strategy: WB players (participants) of highly competitive levels; data collection regarding sports injuries in WB (intervention); descriptive data about injury epidemiology in WB (comparison); and main characteristics of sports injuries in WB (outcomes).

The systematic search comprised observational studies, prospective or retrospective studies and cohort studies. Studies were eligible for inclusion according to the following criteria: (i) involving WB players, (ii) papers written in English and (iii) presents numerical data of WB injuries. Studies were excluded from analysis based on the following criteria: (i) duplicate studies and (ii) studies on WB that did not address the prevalence or incidence of injuries.

English language searches of the electronic databases PubMed/Medline, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Articles were retrieved from electronic databases using the following search strategy: “wheelchair basketball” AND “injury” OR “injuries” OR “sports injury”. In the search performed on Google Scholar, the advanced search option was used to retrieve articles with the exact phrase “wheelchair basketball” and with at least one of the following words: “injury”, “injuries” or “sports injury”. These words needed to occur in the title of the manuscript. Identified articles on the systematic search were initially checked for relevance by two independent researchers (first and third authors). Articles were selected after a sequential reading of the title and abstract, always in this order. Subsequently, the researchers reviewed the full texts of potentially eligible articles. A third researcher (second author) resolved any disagreements among reviewers regarding inclusion of the study. The references of the articles were consulted to identify possible additional studies. The articles were placed in a list in an Excel spreadsheet and the duplicates were removed.

Data extraction was performed by two independent researchers (first and third authors), supported by a third researcher (second author) when necessary. Data extracted from WB injuries included type of injuries, body region injury, injury level, year of publication, objectives, sample, gender and primary outcomes.

Study quality was assessed according to STROBE-SIIS (Sports Injury and Illness Surveillance) Statement, a checklist of items for the reporting of observational studies on injury and illness in sports, which is considered an appropriate tool to assess the methodological quality of epidemiological studies of sports injuries and illness. This tool consists of 23 items that aim to evaluate the methodological rigor of studies.

3.1. Included Studies

Initially, screening identified 873 records in the databases. After removing duplicates, 268 studies remained that were selected for title and abstract analysis, of which, 235 were removed. Full reading was conducted for 33 articles, and the inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. From those 33 articles, 25 did not meet the inclusion criteria and were excluded. Finally, eight studies were included in the final analysis ( Figure 1 ), the oldest being published in 1999 and the most recent being published in 2020.

PRISMA flow diagram.

3.2. Quality Assessment

In general, the articles differed little in the evaluation of methodological quality. Through analysis, we identified that the articles have good methodological quality ( Appendix A ).

3.3. Study Characteristics

Five papers were classified as cross-sectional observational studies, one as a descriptive self-report, one as a prospective study and one as a survey. The primary characteristics are briefly described in Table 1 . Seven hundred and fifty-three WB players were included in the eight articles, 462 of whom were men and 291 of whom were women. Of the total number of players evaluated, 274 were injured players, with 271 injuries of different etiologies.

Description of articles.

The region of the body that presented the highest number of injuries was the shoulder (N = 60; 22.2%), followed by the head (N = 52; 19.2%), and other body regions are described in Table 2 and Figure 2 . The body segment that presented the highest number of injuries was the upper limbs (N = 128; 47.2%) followed by the head and/or face (N = 53; 19.5%), trunk (spine and ribs included) (N = 48; 17.8%) and lower limbs (N = 42; 15.5%). Concussion (N = 52, 23.8%), muscle injury/contusion (N = 34; 15.5%), myalgia (N = 33; 15.1%) and pressure injuries (N = 32, 14.6%) were the primary diagnoses ( Table 3 ).

Infographic of main wheelchair basketball injuries.

Summary of injuries by body.

Diagnosis of injuries.

4. Discussion

The aim of this review was to determine the epidemiological information, primary injury characteristics and body regions affected in WB players. The systematic review included only quantitative studies involving 753 players of both sexes. The primary results are that 274 (36.4%) players suffered injuries, with the upper limbs being most affected (47.2%), followed by the region of the head and/or face (19.5%). Regarding established diagnoses of injuries, concussion (23.8%) followed by myalgia (15.1%) were the most reported.

The International Olympic Committee, through consensus to record and report epidemiological data on injuries and illnesses in sport in 2020, defines injury and illness as follows: injury is tissue damage or other derangement of normal physical function due to participation in sports, resulting from the rapid or repetitive transfer of kinetic energy. Illness is a complaint or disorder experienced by an athlete not related to injury [ 21 ]. In this review, most articles reported their sports injury definition, considering their research focus. Therefore, we obtained a wide variety of definitions, which makes comparison between papers’ results difficult. However, Nielsen et al. [ 22 ] argue that a single, universal definition of sports injury is not necessary but that the choice should be made to seek a balance between a variety of factors and how these factors generally compete, and the authors encourage researchers to match their choice of definition with the purpose, configuration and design of the study.

4.1. Study Populations

The studies selected for this review included 753 WB players, 462 of whom were men and 291 of whom were women. Observing this information, we identified that it is more common for articles to be composed of male samples and that the articles often do not consider gender differences when reporting injuries.

According to a study by Derman et al. (2018), female para-athletes are at higher risk of sports injuries (IR of 11.1 (95% CI 9.7 to 12.7), p < 0.05) compared to male athletes (IR of 9.3 (95% CI 8.3 to 10.4)). This may be related to a condition called “female athlete triad”, which consists of low energy availability with or without disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction and low bone density that is related to the recurrent appearance of sports injuries in women [ 23 , 24 ]. In addition, hormonal factors, such as differences in estrogen and relaxin activity, make women more likely to experience joint instability and ligament laxity [ 25 , 26 ], which can lead to injuries during sports practice.

4.2. Sports Injury Mechanism

Considering the mechanism, sports injuries can be classified into trauma (traumatic) or overload categories. Traumatic injuries are caused by a single, specific and identifiable event. They can occur with contact (e.g., shock of the body against structures or the opponent’s body) or without contact (e.g., sprain). Overload injuries are caused by repetitive microtrauma, without the identification of a specific event causing the injury. These lesions may have either a sudden or gradual onset [ 27 ]. Among the articles reviewed here, only one clearly described the mechanism of injury. A description of this point is important to understand factors that can lead to the occurrence of injuries, in addition to helping in the prevention process.

During sports practice, athletes are exposed to traumatic and overload injuries. In the case of basketball, the biomechanics of the sport itself can influence the appearance of injuries [ 28 ]. The use of the shoulder joint in repetitive movements (propulsion, throwing and passing) can cause the appearance of injuries due to overload. In the same way, sudden changes in direction during movement on the court and the shock with other players can cause the appearance of traumatic injuries. Knowing the biomechanics of the sport helps to minimize injuries and improve sports performance [ 29 , 30 ].

4.3. Upper Limb Injuries

With the heterogeneity in the reports, many terms were found in the papers describing injuries to the upper limbs. In summary, we categorize data of injuries in the fingers, hands, wrists, forearms/arms and shoulders into a single group: upper limb injuries.

The highest frequency of WB injuries was in the upper limb, highlighting the shoulder region. These injuries are linked to repeated movements that the sport itself requires, such as the handling of the wheelchair and the biomechanics of the throw in this position [ 28 ]. In addition, the shoulder is an anatomically unstable region, being more prone to injuries [ 31 ]. In WB, the power transmission to the pitch is with the trunk, unlike conventional basketball players, where the force starts in the lower limbs.

In the literature, shoulder injuries in wheelchair sports are primary represented by shoulder impact syndrome and rotator cuff injuries [ 32 ] that generate pain, a loss of muscle strength and a decreased range of motion, resulting in changes in biomechanics and positioning, providing muscle shortening and difficulty in performing sports and daily life tasks [ 28 ]. These injuries are related to repetitive movements and force movements performed above the head [ 33 ], activities that are present in WB practice. In addition to the shoulder region, we also highlighted injuries to the fingers, hands and wrists, which are primarily represented by fractures and sprains. In general, basketball is a contact sport and therefore promotes the appearance of these injuries, which represents a negative impact on the athlete primarily because it affects the dexterity and skill that an athlete needs to master the ball and perform movements [ 34 ].

4.4. Head Injuries

The primary head injury observed in these studies was concussion. Sport-related concussion is a traumatic brain injury induced by biomechanical forces and may be caused by either a direct blow to the head, face, neck or elsewhere on the body with an impulsive force transmitted to the head. Symptoms of neurological impairment usually appear quickly and resolve spontaneously; however, these signs and symptoms in some cases can appear over a few minutes to hours. The acute clinical signs and symptoms largely reflect a functional disturbance rather than a structural injury; therefore, no abnormalities were observed in standard structural neuroimaging exams [ 35 , 36 ].

The signs and symptoms of concussion include loss or not of consciousness, memory impairment, headache, nausea and vomiting, visual disturbances and eye movement, balance impairment and behavioral changes. However, signs and symptoms are not, by themselves, a diagnosis of concussion, and, for suspected diagnosis of concussion, the clinical signs and symptoms cannot be explained by drugs, alcohol, medication use, other injuries or other comorbidities [ 37 , 38 ]. At present, it is known that most athletes are able to recover from clinical symptoms, even in the first month after the injury, but the return to sports needs to occur gradually [ 36 ]. As previously mentioned, basketball is a contact sport, and, for this reason, the incidence rates of concussions in this sport are higher compared to low contact sports.

Intervention protocols and behaviors already exist in the literature, such as The Sports Concussion Assessment Tool 5 (SCAT5), which can be used on and off the court [ 37 ]. In addition, we emphasize that concussion prevention strategies, such as using specific equipment and changing sport-specific rules to avoid more serious contact, should be carefully considered.

4.5. Lower Limbs Injuries (Knee, Hip and Ischiatic Region)

Injuries with higher incidence found in the lower limbs included pressure sore injuries, contusions and abrasions on the skin. The appearance of pressure sore injuries is observed in players who depend on the wheelchair for their locomotion and who present sensitivity changes in areas that remain in contact with the chair, primarily ischiatic and sacrum regions; therefore, people with spinal cord injury are the most affected [ 16 , 17 ]. It is important to note that pressure injuries are not exclusive to athletes, but the practice of sports can be a factor that promotes their occurrence. Players with lower classifications usually have greater trunk instability and might be at risk for the occurrence of pressure injuries compared to players of higher classes who, in turn, have better postural control, since these players with lower scores do not experience posture changes, such as tilting the trunk and lowering the pressure points when sitting. These injuries present as a risk factor for poor blood circulation in the region with greater contact with the chair, pressure at specific points for long periods during the day and friction of the skin, and, within sports practice, sweat favors an environment conducive to the development of these injuries. The authors report that, if untreated, these injuries can lead to serious conditions, such as sepsis, and represent the risk of suspension from sports practice until the injury is completely healed [ 17 ].

Regarding bruises and abrasions on the skin, as has been previously indicated, WB is a contact sport where these situations can occur during the game. In certain movements, parts of the metal structure encounter the opponent’s body, which may cause these injuries.

4.6. Spinal Injuries (Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar)

Spinal injuries do not seem to be directly related to sports practice, yet the incidence of pain in the spine region, primarily lumbar, in permanent wheelchair users is high, and this population seems to be more susceptible to the onset of this type of pain compared to the general population [ 38 ]. These pain symptoms, both acute and chronic, may be related to the ergonomic characteristics of the chair, since these users spend most of their time sitting in these chairs that might not have the necessary anatomical adjustments, resulting in pain [ 39 ]. In addition to ergonomic factors, it is also necessary to mention factors such as non-physical activity, muscle inactivity and neuropathies [ 38 ]. The prevention of this condition is important because pain negatively affects the quality of life of individuals, and the changes in positioning, the practice of physical activities and the realization of necessary ergonomic adjustments in the chair would be preventive factors for the onset of pain.

4.7. Collection Pattern

Most studies presented here do not clearly describe the characteristics of the sport injuries. Some studies that focused on different sport modalities did not individually report the number, region or diagnosis of injuries for each sport. Some of the injuries mentioned in the articles have not had their etiology or mechanism of injury studied, making it difficult to analyze whether the injury was acquired during training and games or off the court, whether the injury is prior to sports practice or not and with what mechanism. Not having this information prevents us from making coherent decisions to prevent sports injuries. Most articles defined the concepts of injuries in their publications ( Table 1 ).

These differences demonstrate the importance of standardizing collections for studies on sports injuries. To date, there is no protocol for collecting data on injuries in wheelchair basketball, demonstrating the need to create a standard model. Clear exposure of these points is needed so that sports injury epidemiology, focusing on incidence and prevalence, have a positive impact on the literature and clinical practice [ 30 ].

In this sense, Magno and Silva [ 40 ] proposed the Sports Injury Protocol in Paralympic Sports, a sports injury data protocol in Paralympic sports that is multimodal, multi-handicap, multifactorial and accessible. This system consists of six stages: consent form, impairment data, modality data, training diary, competition diary and sports injury. Through the steps of this system, it is possible to obtain data on the characteristics of sports injuries and their internal and external factors. Determining these aspects is essential for structuring a good research methodology for sports injuries.

As previously mentioned, studies with a clear methodology enable the replication of studies and the application of results on injuries in different contexts, such as training, rehabilitation and logistics organization in sports championships.

4.8. Future Perspective

Within sports medicine, our findings contribute to the decision making of the sports team (doctors, physiotherapists, coaches, physical trainers) through the knowledge of the main injuries, where it is possible to structure training to prevent them. In this sense, the creation of an injury prevention protocol for the sport is interesting.

We have a model of success in football using the FIFA 11+ prevention protocol. Studies that evaluated the FIFA 11+ program found that the application of the protocol reduced the number of injured athletes and improved performance components, both neuromuscular and motor [ 41 , 42 ].

Currently, there is no protocol for the prevention of injuries in wheelchair basketball. Following the injuries highlighted in this review, a protocol aimed at this sport would have a pressure injury prevention program (this type of injury impacts training and can keep the athlete away from sports) and a sequence of exercises that simulate the sports practice aiming to improve movements and strengthen the upper limbs and core, with increasing difficulties, which could be used to warm up athletes. Strategies in this sense would decrease the risk of injury and, when there was an injury, decrease the time away from the athletes.

5. Conclusions

WB players experience several injuries with different etiologies. The largest number of injuries was observed in the upper limbs, especially in the shoulder region. An important factor in the injury process in this sport is the fact that the activity offers many contacts for its players. In this study, we determined that the most affected body regions were the shoulder, hand, head and spine. In addition, the primary diagnoses were concussions, muscle injury/contusion and myalgia. These findings can be used to direct coaches to structure training aimed at minimizing recurrent injuries in addition to helping to organize medical teams in competitions, given that sports injuries occur with greater frequency in WB.

STROBE-SIIS (Sports Injury and Illness Surveillance) Statement 1.0—a checklist of items for the reporting of observational studies on injury and illness in sports.

Funding Statement

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brazil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001 and PROPESP/Federal University of Para (PAPQ).

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, K.S. and M.M.e.S.; methodology, K.S.; resources, K.S. and A.C.e.S.; writing—original draft preparation, K.S.; writing—review and editing, A.S., J.G., A.C.e.S. and M.M.e.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Institutional Review Board Statement

Informed consent statement, data availability statement, conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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How to Write a Non-Cliche College Essay About Sports + Examples

What’s covered:, what makes a sports essay cliche.

• How To Make Your Sports Essay Unique

Great Examples of College Essays About Sports

Where to get your college essay edited for free, or by an expert.

You’ve been brainstorming essay topics for your college applications, and you think you’ve finally found the right one: an extended metaphor likening your experience on the field with overcoming personal struggles. The problem: many other students have this same thought. 

The purpose of a college essay is to make yourself stand out as a unique individual, but when students write about sports, they often blend in. Because of that, students are usually advised to pick a different topic.

That being said, it is possible to write a non-cliche college essay about sports if you put in a little extra effort. Read along to learn how to make your sports essay different from all the other sports essays.

Sports essays are cliche when they follow a standard trajectory. Some of these trajectories include writing a story about:

• An agonizing defeat
• Forging bonds with teammates
• Overcoming adversity
• Overcoming an injury
• Refusing to quit
• Victory during a big game

Because sports essays have very similar themes and “lessons learned,” it can be difficult to make your story stand out. These trajectories also often focus too much on the sport or storyline, and not enough on the writer’s reflections and personality.

As you write your essay, try to think about what your experience says about you rather than what you learned from your experience. You are more than just one lesson you learned!

(Keep in mind that the sports essay is not the only college essay cliche. Learn about other essay cliches and how to fix them in our complete guide).

How to Make Your Sports Essay Unique

1. focus on a specific moment or reflection..

The college essay is a way for students to humanize themselves to admissions officers. You do not feel human if you are describing yourself as just another player on the field!

One important way to make your essay about you (not just about sports) is by focusing on a specific moment in time and inviting the reader to join you in that moment. Explain to the reader what it would be like to be sitting in that locker room as you questioned the values of the other players on your team. Ask your reader to sit with you on the cot in the trainer’s room as your identity was stripped away from you when they said “your body can’t take this anymore.” Bring your reader to the dinner table and involve them in your family’s conversation about how sports were affecting your mental health and your treatment of those around you.

Intense descriptions of a specific experience will evoke emotions in your reader and allow them to connect with you and feel for you.

When in doubt, avoid anything that can be covered by ESPN. On ESPN, we see the games, we see the benches, we even see the locker rooms and training rooms. Take your reader somewhere different and show them something unique.

2. Use sports to point out broader themes in your life.

The main risk when writing about sports is neglecting to write about yourself. Before you get started, think about the main values that you want to express in your sports essay. Sports are simply your avenue for telling the reader what makes you unique. 

As a test, imagine if you were a pianist. Would you be able to talk about these same values? What if you were a writer? Or a chemist? Articulating your values is the end, and sports should simply be your means.

Some values that you might want to focus on:

• Autonomy (you want to be able to set your mind to anything and achieve it on your own)
• Growth (you seek improvement constantly)
• Curiosity (you are willing to try anything once)
• Vulnerability (you aren’t afraid to fail, as long as you give it your all)
• Community (you value the feedback of others and need camaraderie to succeed)
• Craft (you think that with deliberate care, anything can be perfected)
• Responsibility (you believe that you owe something to those around you and perhaps they also owe something to you)

You can use the ESPN check again to make sure that you are using sports as an avenue to show your depth.

Things ESPN covers: how a player reacts to defeat, how injuries affect a player’s gameplay/attitude, how players who don’t normally work well together are working together on their new team.

Things ESPN doesn’t cover: the conversation that a player had with their mother about fear of death before going into a big surgery (value: family and connection), the ways that the intense pressure to succeed consumed a player to the point they couldn’t be there for the people in their life (value: supporting others and community), the body image issues that weigh on a player’s mind when playing their sport and how they overcame those (value: health and growth).

3. Turn a cliche storyline on its head.

There’s no getting around the fact that sports essays are often cliche. But there is a way to confront the cliche head-on. For example, lots of people write essays about the lessons they learned from an injury, victory, and so on, but fewer students explain how they are embracing those lessons. 

Perhaps you learned that competition is overwhelming for you and you prefer teamwork, so you switched from playing basketball to playing Dungeons & Dragons. Maybe, when your softball career ended abruptly, you had to find a new identity and that’s when you became obsessed with your flower garden and decided to pursue botany. Or maybe, you have stuck with football through it all, but your junior-year mental health struggle showed you that football should be fun and you have since started a nonprofit for local children to healthily engage with sports.

If your story itself is more cliche, try bringing readers to the present moment with you and show why the cliche matters and what it did for you. This requires a fair amount of creativity. Ensure you’re not parroting a frequently used topic by really thinking deeply to find your own unique spin.

Night had robbed the academy of its daytime colors, yet there was comfort in the dim lights that cast shadows of our advances against the bare studio walls. Silhouettes of roundhouse kicks, spin crescent kicks, uppercuts and the occasional butterfly kick danced while we sparred. She approached me, eyes narrowed with the trace of a smirk challenging me. “Ready spar!” Her arm began an upward trajectory targeting my shoulder, a common first move. I sidestepped — only to almost collide with another flying fist. Pivoting my right foot, I snapped my left leg, aiming my heel at her midsection. The center judge raised one finger. 

There was no time to celebrate, not in the traditional sense at least. Master Pollard gave a brief command greeted with a unanimous “Yes, sir” and the thud of 20 hands dropping-down-and-giving-him-30, while the “winners” celebrated their victory with laps as usual. 

Three years ago, seven-thirty in the evening meant I was a warrior. It meant standing up straighter, pushing a little harder, “Yes, sir” and “Yes, ma’am”, celebrating birthdays by breaking boards, never pointing your toes, and familiarity. Three years later, seven-thirty in the morning meant I was nervous. 

The room is uncomfortably large. The sprung floor soaks up the checkerboard of sunlight piercing through the colonial windows. The mirrored walls further illuminate the studio and I feel the light scrutinizing my sorry attempts at a pas de bourrée, while capturing the organic fluidity of the dancers around me. “Chassé en croix, grand battement, pique, pirouette.” I follow the graceful limbs of the woman in front of me, her legs floating ribbons, as she executes what seems to be a perfect ronds de jambes. Each movement remains a negotiation. With admirable patience, Ms. Tan casts me a sympathetic glance.   

There is no time to wallow in the misery that is my right foot. Taekwondo calls for dorsiflexion; pointed toes are synonymous with broken toes. My thoughts drag me into a flashback of the usual response to this painful mistake: “You might as well grab a tutu and head to the ballet studio next door.” Well, here I am Master Pollard, unfortunately still following your orders to never point my toes, but no longer feeling the satisfaction that comes with being a third degree black belt with 5 years of experience quite literally under her belt. It’s like being a white belt again — just in a leotard and ballet slippers. 

But the appetite for new beginnings that brought me here doesn’t falter. It is only reinforced by the classical rendition of “Dancing Queen” that floods the room and the ghost of familiarity that reassures me that this new beginning does not and will not erase the past. After years spent at the top, it’s hard to start over. But surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become. In Taekwondo, we started each class reciting the tenets: honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet. 

The thing about change is that it eventually stops making things so different. After nine different schools, four different countries, three different continents, fluency in Tamil, Norwegian, and English, there are more blurred lines than there are clear fragments. My life has not been a tactfully executed, gold medal-worthy Taekwondo form with each movement defined, nor has it been a series of frappés performed by a prima ballerina with each extension identical and precise, but thankfully it has been like the dynamics of a spinning back kick, fluid, and like my chances of landing a pirouette, unpredictable. 

Why it works:

What’s especially powerful about this essay is that the author uses detailed imagery to convey a picture of what they’re experiencing, so much so that the reader is along for the ride. This works as a sports essay not only because of the language and sensory details, but also because the writer focuses on a specific moment in time, while at the same time exploring why Taekwondo is such an important part of their life.

After the emotional image is created, the student finishes their essay with valuable reflection. With the reflection, they show admissions officers that they are mature and self-aware. Self-awareness comes through with statements like “surrendering what you are only leads you to what you may become” and maturity can be seen through the student’s discussion of values “honor, courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, courage, humility, and knowledge, and I have never felt that I embodied those traits more so than when I started ballet.” These are the kinds of comments that should find their way into a sports essay!

“Advanced females ages 13 to 14 please proceed to staging with your coaches at this time.” Skittering around the room, eyes wide and pleading, I frantically explained my situation to nearby coaches. The seconds ticked away in my head; every polite refusal increased my desperation.

Despair weighed me down. I sank to my knees as a stream of competitors, coaches, and officials flowed around me. My dojang had no coach, and the tournament rules prohibited me from competing without one.

Although I wanted to remain strong, doubts began to cloud my mind. I could not help wondering: what was the point of perfecting my skills if I would never even compete? The other members of my team, who had found coaches minutes earlier, attempted to comfort me, but I barely heard their words. They couldn’t understand my despair at being left on the outside, and I never wanted them to understand.

Since my first lesson 12 years ago, the members of my dojang have become family. I have watched them grow up, finding my own happiness in theirs. Together, we have honed our kicks, blocks, and strikes. We have pushed one another to aim higher and become better martial artists. Although my dojang had searched for a reliable coach for years, we had not found one. When we attended competitions in the past, my teammates and I had always gotten lucky and found a sympathetic coach. Now, I knew this practice was unsustainable. It would devastate me to see the other members of my dojang in my situation, unable to compete and losing hope as a result. My dojang needed a coach, and I decided it was up to me to find one. 

I first approached the adults in the dojang – both instructors and members’ parents. However, these attempts only reacquainted me with polite refusals. Everyone I asked told me they couldn’t devote multiple weekends per year to competitions. I soon realized that I would have become the coach myself.

At first, the inner workings of tournaments were a mystery to me. To prepare myself for success as a coach, I spent the next year as an official and took coaching classes on the side. I learned everything from motivational strategies to technical, behind-the-scenes components of Taekwondo competitions. Though I emerged with new knowledge and confidence in my capabilities, others did not share this faith.

Parents threw me disbelieving looks when they learned that their children’s coach was only a child herself. My self-confidence was my armor, deflecting their surly glances. Every armor is penetrable, however, and as the relentless barrage of doubts pounded my resilience, it began to wear down. I grew unsure of my own abilities.

Despite the attack, I refused to give up. When I saw the shining eyes of the youngest students preparing for their first competition, I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was. The knowledge that I could solve my dojang’s longtime problem motivated me to overcome my apprehension.

Now that my dojang flourishes at competitions, the attacks on me have weakened, but not ended. I may never win the approval of every parent; at times, I am still tormented by doubts, but I find solace in the fact that members of my dojang now only worry about competing to the best of their abilities.

Now, as I arrive at a tournament with my students, I close my eyes and remember the past. I visualize the frantic search for a coach and the chaos amongst my teammates as we compete with one another to find coaches before the staging calls for our respective divisions. I open my eyes to the exact opposite scene. Lacking a coach hurt my ability to compete, but I am proud to know that no member of my dojang will have to face that problem again.

In the beginning, you might think this is another cliche sports essay about overcoming adversity. But instead, it becomes a unique statement and coming-of-age tale that reads as a suspenseful narrative. 

The author connects their experience with martial arts to larger themes in their life but manages to do so without riffing off of tried-and-true themes. Through statements like “I knew I couldn’t let them down. To quit would be to set them up to be barred from competing like I was” we learn about the students values and their desire to be there for those who depend on them. 

The student also brings it full circle, demonstrating their true transformation. By using the “Same, but Different” ending technique , the student places themself in the same environment that we saw in the intro, but experiences it differently due to their actions throughout the narrative. This is very compelling!

“1…2…3…4 pirouettes! New record!” My friends cheered as I landed my turns. Pleased with my progress, I gazed down at my worn-out pointe shoes. The sweltering blisters, numbing ice-baths, and draining late-night practices did not seem so bad after all. Next goal: five turns.

For as long as I can remember, ballet, in all its finesse and glamor, had kept me driven day to day. As a child, the lithe ballerinas, donning ethereal costumes as they floated across the stage, were my motivation. While others admired Messi and Adele, I idolized Carlos Acosta, principal dancer of the Royal Ballet. 

As I devoted more time and energy towards my craft, I became obsessed with improving my technique. I would stretch for hours after class, forcing my leg one inch higher in an effort to mirror the Dance Magazine cover girls. I injured my feet and ruined pair after pair of pointe shoes, turning on wood, cement, and even grass to improve my balance as I spun. At competitions, the dancers with the 180-degree leg extensions, endless turns, and soaring leaps—the ones who received “Bravos!” from the roaring audience—further pushed me to refine my skills and perfect my form. I believed that, with enough determination, I would one day attain their level of perfection. Reaching the quadruple-pirouette milestone only intensified my desire to accomplish even more. 

My efforts seemed to have come to fruition two summers ago when I was accepted to dance with Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet at their renowned New York City summer intensive. I walked into my first session eager to learn from distinguished ballet masters and worldly dancers, already anticipating my improvement. Yet, as I danced alongside the accomplished ballerinas, I felt out of place. Despite their clean technique and professional training, they did not aim for glorious leg extensions or prodigious leaps. When they performed their turn combinations, most of them only executed two turns as I attempted four. 

“Dancers, double-pirouettes only.” 

Taken aback and confused, I wondered why our teacher expected so little from us. The other ballerinas seemed content, gracing the studio with their simple movements. 

As I grew closer with my Moscow roommates, I gradually learned that their training emphasized the history of the art form instead of stylistic tricks. Rather than show off their physical ability, their performances aimed to convey a story, one that embodied the rich culture of ballet and captured both the legacy of the dancers before them and their own artistry. As I observed my friends more intently in repertoire class, I felt the pain of the grief-stricken white swan from Swan Lake, the sass of the flirtatious Kitri from Don Quijote, and I gradually saw what I had overlooked before. My definition of talent had been molded by crowd-pleasing elements—whirring pirouettes, gravity-defying leaps, and mind-blowing leg extensions. This mindset slowly stripped me from the roots of my passion and my personal connection with ballet. 

With the Bolshoi, I learned to step back and explore the meaning behind each step and the people behind the scenes. Ballet carries history in its movements, from the societal values of the era to each choreographer’s unique flair. As I uncovered the messages behind each pirouette, kick, and jump, my appreciation for ballet grew beyond my obsession with raw athleticism and developed into a love for the art form’s emotive abilities in bridging the dancers with the audience. My journey as an artist has allowed me to see how technical execution is only the means to a greater understanding between dancer and spectator, between storyteller and listener. The elegance and complexity of ballet does not revolve around astonishing stunts but rather the evocative strength and artistry manifested in the dancer, in me. It is the combination of sentiments, history, tradition, and passion that has allowed ballet and its lessons of human connection to become my lifestyle both on and off stage.

This essay is about lessons. While the author is a dancer, this narrative isn’t really about ballet, per se — it’s about the author’s personal growth. It is purposefully reflective as the student shows a nice character arc that begins with an eager young ballerina and ends with a reflection on their past. The primary strength of this essay is the honesty and authenticity that the student approaches it with.

In the end, the student turns a cliche on its head as they embrace the idea of overcoming adversity and demonstrate how the adversity, in this case, was their own stereotypes about their art. It’s beautiful!

“Getting beat is one thing – it’s part of competing – but I want no part in losing.” Coach Rob Stark’s motto never fails to remind me of his encouragement on early-morning bus rides to track meets around the state. I’ve always appreciated the phrase, but an experience last June helped me understand its more profound, universal meaning.

Stark, as we affectionately call him, has coached track at my high school for 25 years. His care, dedication, and emphasis on developing good character has left an enduring impact on me and hundreds of other students. Not only did he help me discover my talent and love for running, but he also taught me the importance of commitment and discipline and to approach every endeavor with the passion and intensity that I bring to running. When I learned a neighboring high school had dedicated their track to a longtime coach, I felt that Stark deserved similar honors.

Our school district’s board of education indicated they would only dedicate our track to Stark if I could demonstrate that he was extraordinary. I took charge and mobilized my teammates to distribute petitions, reach out to alumni, and compile statistics on the many team and individual champions Stark had coached over the years. We received astounding support, collecting almost 3,000 signatures and pages of endorsements from across the community. With help from my teammates, I presented this evidence to the board.

They didn’t bite. 

Most members argued that dedicating the track was a low priority. Knowing that we had to act quickly to convince them of its importance, I called a team meeting where we drafted a rebuttal for the next board meeting. To my surprise, they chose me to deliver it. I was far from the best public speaker in the group, and I felt nervous about going before the unsympathetic board again. However, at that second meeting, I discovered that I enjoy articulating and arguing for something that I’m passionate about.

Public speaking resembles a cross country race. Walking to the starting line, you have to trust your training and quell your last minute doubts. When the gun fires, you can’t think too hard about anything; your performance has to be instinctual, natural, even relaxed. At the next board meeting, the podium was my starting line. As I walked up to it, familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach. Instead of the track stretching out in front of me, I faced the vast audience of teachers, board members, and my teammates. I felt my adrenaline build, and reassured myself: I’ve put in the work, my argument is powerful and sound. As the board president told me to introduce myself, I heard, “runners set” in the back of my mind. She finished speaking, and Bang! The brief silence was the gunshot for me to begin. 

The next few minutes blurred together, but when the dust settled, I knew from the board members’ expressions and the audience’s thunderous approval that I had run quite a race. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough; the board voted down our proposal. I was disappointed, but proud of myself, my team, and our collaboration off the track. We stood up for a cause we believed in, and I overcame my worries about being a leader. Although I discovered that changing the status quo through an elected body can be a painstakingly difficult process and requires perseverance, I learned that I enjoy the challenges this effort offers. Last month, one of the school board members joked that I had become a “regular” – I now often show up to meetings to advocate for a variety of causes, including better environmental practices in cafeterias and safer equipment for athletes.

Just as Stark taught me, I worked passionately to achieve my goal. I may have been beaten when I appealed to the board, but I certainly didn’t lose, and that would have made Stark proud.

This essay uses the idea of sports to explore a more profound topic—growing through relationships. They really embrace using sports as an avenue to tell the reader about a specific experience that changed the way they approach the world. 

The emphasis on relationships is why this essay works well and doesn’t fall into a cliche. The narrator grows not because of their experience with track but because of their relationship with their coach, who inspired them to evolve and become a leader.

Have a draft of your college essay? We’re here to help you polish it. Students can participate in a free Peer Review, or they can sign up for a paid review by CollegeVine’s experts. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to start improving your essay and your chances of acceptance!

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Wisconsin basketball's Serah Williams shares update on knee injury she suffered during WNIT

MADISON –  Serah Williams is on the mend.

The sophomore forward for the Wisconsin women’s basketball team announced on X on Wednesday that she underwent surgery to repair her right meniscus. Williams suffered the injury during the opening minute of the Badgers’ loss to St. Louis in a Great 8 game of the WNIT.

The Brooklyn, New York native also implied that she’ll return to Wisconsin for her junior season.

“I want to thank my doctors and medical staff for their care as well as Badger Nation for the well wishes! Excited to return next year stronger than ever. #OnWisconsin.”

It’s moving seasons in college basketball. The transfer portal will remain open until May 1.

UW biggest loss so far has been sophomore guard Sania Copeland , who announced her commitment to Kansas on Tuesday. She was preceded in the portal by center Tessa Towers and forward Sacia Vanderpool. The Next Hoops reported on X on Wednesday that freshman Ana Guillen, who averaged 1.1 points and .6 rebounds per game, had also entered the portal.

Williams didn’t provide an estimate of her recovery time, but pending her recovery, she should be ready in time for the start of the season.

The all-Big Ten performer’s sophomore season was a breakout campaign. In addition to setting a conference record with 18 straight double-doubles in scoring and rebounding, she was the media’s choice for Big Ten defensive player of the year. She led Wisconsin with averages of 17.4 points, 10.7 rebounds per game and 2.8 blocks per game.

Damian Lillard's monster first half leads Milwaukee Bucks to Game 1 playoff victory over Pacers

By strict definition, “Dame Time” usually refers to end-of-game clutch situations.

But “Dame Time” started early in Game 1 of the Milwaukee Bucks’ first-round series with the Indiana Pacers on Sunday at Fiserv Forum.

Damian Lillard scored 19 points in the first quarter to set the tone and finished with 35 – all in the first half – as the Bucks rolled to a 109-94 victory.

It was the kind of performance that Milwaukee needed from the superstar guard they traded for just before training camp, especially with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo out with a calf injury .

REQUIRED READING: Damian Lillard's 'prizefighter' performance in Game 1 vs. Pacers was a week in the making

"I felt great," Lillard said. "I knew coming in that they were going to give me a lot of attention.

"Other times when we played them, I remember them face-guarding me on the inbounds. Just trying to turn me a few times on the inbounds. I didn't want to fight it too much early. I was patient. Just got the catches on the other side of halfcourt a lot of times and just tried to play with pace.

"If they were going to pick up that high up the court, I wanted to just get my pace up and attack. I was able to get into a rhythm and I know I got to be aggressive."

Lillard's 35 points are the most by a Bucks player in a half of a playoff game.

Bobby Portis and Khris Middleton pitch in

Lillard sat for the first five minutes of the second quarter.

That allowed Bobby Portis time to take over. He scored six straight points to help the Bucks pull ahead to a 38-23 advantage.

BOX SCORE: Bucks 109, Pacers 94

Portis finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds for his eighth playoff double-double. He was named one of three finalists for the NBA's sixth man of the year earlier on Sunday after averaging 13.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

"It's the playoffs, bro," Portis said. "People keep talking about 82 games. That's over with now. It's the playoffs.

"Guys are putting in a little more effort. A little more attention to detail, smaller things."

Lillard came back in and picked up right where he left off, scoring 16 points in the second quarter, including several deep three-pointers. The Bucks led by 30 points and went into the locker room with a 69-42 lead.

"He carried us," Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said. "He was unbelievable.

"I thought he had played under control. Very aggressive, which was they way we wanted him."

TRENDING: Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love, AJ Dillon, Romeo Doubs are cheering on the Bucks in NBA playoffs vs Pacers at Fiserv Forum

Middleton took on the lead role in the third quarter, scoring eight points. He added seven in the fourth to finish with 23 points and 10 rebounds for his ninth career playoff game with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.

"Just being a basketball player," Middleton said. "I think that's what I try to do when I'm out there, especially this season. Just do whatever is needed. Simple as that, really."

Bucks survive brief scare in the second half from Pacers

Indiana shot 3 for 18 on three-pointers in the first half.

But Aaron Nesmith knocked down a shot from beyond the arc to start the third quarter.  

Then the Pacers started chipping away at the Bucks’ lead, getting within 83-71 heading into the fourth quarter.

Middleton hit a three to start the fourth, then the Bucks got the advantage up to 97-77 with 8:54 remaining after back-to-back triples from Jae Crowder and Malik Beasley.

Milwaukee cruised from there.

"When Dame's off the floor, it's Khris and Bobby," Rivers said. "It was more Khris.

"Bobby had a stretch. But Khris in the second half, to me, saved us."

Game 2 is on Tuesday at Fiserv Forum.

Five numbers

3 Times the Bucks and Pacers have met in the playoffs, after also meeting in the first round in 1999 and 2000

6 Straight seasons the Bucks have been a top 3 seeding in the Eastern Conference playoffs

13 Indiana missed its first 13 three-point attempts before making one

105 Brook Lopez tied Giannis Antetokounmpo for first on the franchise’s all-time playoff blocks list with 105

23 and 10 Khris Middleton had 23 points and 10 rebounds for his first playoff double-double since Game 5 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals vs. Atlanta

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Zion Williamson's Official Injury Status For Kings-Pelicans Game

Zion Williamson has been ruled out for Friday's game.

• Author: Ben Stinar

On Friday evening, the New Orleans Pelicans will host the Sacramento Kings in Louisiana.

For the game, the Pelicans will be without their best player, as two-time NBA All-Star Zion Williamson has been ruled out .

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski had first reported the news on Wednesday.

Via ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday : "ESPN Sources: Pelicans F Zion Williamson’s (left hamstring) is out for Friday’s Play-In Tournament elimination game vs. Sacramento and will be evaluated again in coming weeks. Huge blow for New Orleans."

ESPN Sources: Pelicans F Zion Williamson’s (left hamstring) is out for Friday’s Play-In Tournament elimination game vs. Sacramento and will be evaluated again in coming weeks. Huge blow for New Orleans. pic.twitter.com/rMc1IC2RtY — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 17, 2024

Williamson had an extremely productive season with averages of 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.1 steals per contest while shooting 57.0% from the field and 33.3% from the three-point range in 70 games.

The Pelicans finished as the eighth seed in the Western Conference with a 49-33 record.

They lost to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in their first play-in tournament game by a score of 110-106.

That said, Williamson was incredible and finished with 40 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block while shooting 17/27 from the field in 36 minutes of playing time.

The West's final playoff spot is on the line. 📺 9:30 PM ET | TNT and @SportsonMax pic.twitter.com/YPT8FEitBZ — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 19, 2024

As for the Kings, they finished the regular season as the ninth seed in the Western Conference and had a 46-36 record.

They defeated Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in their first play-in tournament game by a score of 118-94.

Whoever wins Friday's game will become the eighth seed and face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

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Mavericks' Dereck Lively: Not listed on injury report

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Lively (knee) is not listed on the injury report ahead of Sunday's game against the Clippers.

Coach Jason Kidd said Friday that Lively was trending in the right direction and was on track to play in Sunday's series opener, so this is not entirely surprising, though it does boost the team's depth in the frontcourt. Lively should see decent minutes off the bench, although Daniel Gafford is expected to be the starting center, as was the case down the stretch in the regular season.

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SDSU basketball adds guard with winning pedigree from transfer portal

The Aztecs get a commitment from Nick Boyd, a 6-3 point who led Florida Atlantic to the Final Four last year

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College basketball’s transfer portal has endless tantalizing options with eye-popping statistics and jaw-dropping athleticism, but San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher constantly reminds people it’s often more about intangibles than measurables.

The Aztecs were searching for a true point guard who can play off ball screens. They wanted someone who can stroke it from 3. They wanted a committed defender with decent size. They wanted a veteran leader with experience in big games. And, perhaps above all that, they wanted a winner.

The perfect fit, or so they hope: Florida Atlantic guard Nick Boyd, who committed to SDSU on Saturday afternoon via social media with the message: “Let’s do it.”

Boyd entered the portal this month when FAU coach Dusty May, who recruited him out of Garnerville, N.Y., left for Michigan. He played as a true freshman, redshirted, then played two more seasons, leaving him with two years of eligibility (counting a COVID year).

His commitment to SDSU was widely anticipated, especially after he began following multiple Aztecs players and coaches on Instagram early in the week and the players began to referring to him as “teammate.” The formal announcement just took several days longer to consummate.

The 6-foot-3 lefty is a natural point but can play off the ball with 37.8 percent career accuracy behind the 3-point arc, giving the Aztecs two ballhandlers if Lamont Butler, as most expect, returns for his final season. Boyd also is an excellent full-court defender who offers more size and length to replace the departed 5-10 Darrion Trammell.

His numbers last season weren’t overly impressive — 9.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 23.8 minutes per game while shooting 34.1 percent from 3 — and he lost his starting spot for the final eight games. But the Aztecs are banking on intangibles; he did, after all, start 37 times for a team that went 35-4 and became only the third No. 9 seed in NCAA Tournament history to reach the Final Four.

And had Butler not beat the buzzer with a contested, pull-up jumper after Boyd shadowed him down the floor and cut off his baseline drive, the Owls would have played for the national championship last year instead of the Aztecs. Boyd was FAU’s second-leading scorer in the semifinal with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting behind the arc.

SDSU passed on several guards in the transfer portal with gaudy stats, including at least one who averaged 20 points last season.

They’re banking on a change in scenery and system changing his productivity. Last season, Boyd missed the first seven games with a leg injury and then had a supporting role on a team that became reliant — too reliant, some say — on ball-dominant guard Johnell Davis.

Boyd’s 117.2 offensive rating in 2022-23 by the Kenpom metric was higher than everyone on last season’s SDSU team except for Jaedon LeDee’s 119.8. Butler (103.1) and Trammell (107.1) both ranked near the bottom of Mountain West starters.

The Aztecs weren’t the only program with that evaluation. Boyd visited Louisville before coming to SDSU last Sunday, and some sources say he was offered six-figure NIL enticements by Cardinals boosters. Other power conference schools reportedly interested in him: Texas, Texas A&M, Missouri, Georgia, Butler, Miami and Clemson.

Boyd fills one of two available scholarships. The other almost certainly will go to a big to help replace LeDee.

Rashaun Agee, a 6-8, 225-pound forward from Bowling Green who ranked among the nation’s top rebounders, visited last weekend. He’s also believed to be considering Arizona State.

Another possibility is Mady Sissoko, a 6-9, 250-pound center from Michigan State who also has one year left and is scheduled to visit in the coming days. In a radio interview earlier this week, Spartans coach Tom Izzo mentioned SDSU as a possible landing spot along with Cal, Colorado and Washington.

Dutcher has hinted at adding a third transfer, mostly likely a shooting wing to replace Micah Parrish, who entered the portal last week and committed to Ohio State earlier Saturday.

Fresno State’s Xavier DuSell, the Mountain West’s top 3-point marksman last season after transferring from Wyoming, has been mentioned and some social media posts indicated he was visiting SDSU this week. But several sources say no visit has been scheduled and he no longer may be a priority.

SDSU also has been linked to Aidan Mahaney, the Saint Mary’s guard who averaged 13.9 points per game and is close friends with Aztecs guard Miles Byrd. But Mahaney has attracted attention from some of the nation’s most storied programs — Duke, UConn, North Carolina and Michigan — with bottomless NIL war chests and is expected to go elsewhere.

Adding a third player would require freeing up another scholarship. The most obvious candidate is 6-10 forward Demarshay Johnson Jr., who has played sparingly in his three years in the program. Johnson, however, has yet to enter the portal with the May 1 deadline less than two weeks away.

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