Injuries in professional sports hurt that much more, as a lot of times, they require players to sit out and miss important games or even entire seasons. Player injuries can single-handedly influence the outcome of a game or series, especially if that team is missing a crucial player.

No one wishes harm to their competitors, but sometimes, injuries can prove as a vital turning point in a game or season. When the playoffs come around, players should be extra vigilant of their health and safety so they can maintain their play throughout the end of the season. In this article, we’ll describe the impact of injuries on championship runs, including 5 different times an injury of one player impacted the outcome of a championship for better or worse.

Bill Russell, 1958 NBA Playoffs – Ankle injury

The top collector of NBA rings was put on hold for the Boston Celtics in the 1958 playoffs Game 3 with an ankle injury suffered against the St. Louis Hawks. Boston was already down in the series 1-2 with Russell and managed to tie the series up 2-2 without him, but ultimately weren’t able to hold on as they’d lost Game 5 by 2-points. For Game 6, Russell only played a mere 20 minutes in a 110-109 loss, where the Hawks’s Bob Pettit shot 50 points, and as a result, the Celtics would fail to defend their 1956-1957 championship run.

Nathan Horton, 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs – Concussion

In Game 3 of the 2011 Stanley Cups, the Boston Bruins would take on the fierce Vancouver Canucks. Already down 2-0 in the series, the Bruins were walking the tightrope, that is until 5 minutes into the first period Canucks defenseman Aaron Rome obliterated Boston’s Nathan Horton with a gruesome hit, leaving him laid out and unresponsive on the ice. Horton was sent to the hospital on a stretcher, but not before the Canucks had already poked the bee hive. From the 2nd period onward, the Bruins mercilessly netted 8 goals in response to the game-changing injury. In the end, this injury would lift the Bruins to win Games 3, 4, 6, and 7 to ultimately pave their way to their first Stanley Cup trophy in decades.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1980 NBA Playoffs – Ankle injury

Another impactful championship injury that occurred in the NBA was the LA Lakers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s ankle injury in the 1980 NBA playoffs vs the 76ers. In an unfortunate collision in Game 5, Jabbar landed on Lionel Hollin’s foot and rolled his ankle. At the time, Kareem was a necessity to the Lakers’ grandstand offense, and it was believed that all hope was lost heading into game 6. That was until the famed Magic Johnson was used as Abdul-Jabbar’s replacement in Game 6, scoring 42 points and winning Finals MVP. Nobody would have predicted such a massive turn of events, but if you think about it, Abdul-Jabbar’s injury allowed Magic Johnson to shine in his light, completely impacting the outcome of the Laker’s 1980 championship run for the better.

Magic Johnson, 1989 NBA Playoffs – Pulled hamstring

In another injury involving the legendary Magic Johnson, the LA Lakers would hold a 62-56 lead going into halftime against the Detroit Pistons in Game 2 of the NBA Finals. With just four minutes left in the third, Piston’s John Salley blocked a Lakers shot and started a fast break, causing Magic Johnson to drop back to defense, to which he unexpectedly pulled his hamstring. The Lakers would then have to play the rest of the game tied 75-75, without Magic Johnson to which they’d indefinitely lose the series 4-0.

Mohamad Salah, 2018 UCL Final – Dislocated shoulder

One of the worst championship run injuries of all time was none other than the foul committed on Mohamad Salah in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final. Salah was Liverpool’s top goalscorer and at the time one of the top 3 players in the world. Liverpool had a spectacular run that year in their domestic league (EPL) as well as the Champions League, and were heading into a difficult final where they’d be needing the exact firepower Salah had to offer. Real Madrid was no doubt the team to beat, as they’ve won more Champions League trophies than any other team to date. In just the 25th minute of the game, Madrid’s Sergio Ramos tugged down Mohamad Salah on the dribble, bringing him down awkwardly with his arm tucked under Ramos’s armpit. Salah was immediately taken off the pitch for a dislocated shoulder and Ramos had successfully taken Liverpool’s best player out of the game early on, allowing Madrid to win the game 3-1.