5 best players missing NBA playoffs due to injury feat. Kyrie Irving

Every year, injuries are a factor that can make or break a team in the NBA playoffs. As teams get ready for the action to begin, there are a handful of key names who find themselves sidelined at the moment.

After a long and grueling regular season, no team is fully healthy heading into the playoffs. Players across the league are banged up and dealing with some form of ailment. While some players will be able to power through their injuries, others find themselves sidelined for an extended period.

Here are some notable names who are sidelined to some degree to kick off the 2025 NBA postseason.

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Best players missing NBA playoffs due to injury

5) Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks

Kicking off this list is one of the NBA's top point guards, Kyrie Irving. While his team is still fighting for a postseason spot, it will not have the services of its star guard. Irving was ruled out for the season at the end of March after suffering a torn ACL against the Sacramento Kings.

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4) Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks

Next up is another one of the NBA's premier talents at the point guard position. Damian Lillard has been sidelined for weeks now following a blood clot diagnosis and will miss the start of the postseason.

In this instance, there is still hope that Lillard will be available for the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs. The latest updates regarding the All-Star guard indicate he is progressing in his rehab. However, it remains unclear if and when he'll be back in the lineup.

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3) Moritz Wagner, Orlando Magic

On Tuesday night, the Orlando Magic punched their ticket for the NBA playoffs by taking down the Atlanta Hawks in the play-in tournament. As they gear up to take on the Boston Celtics, they'll be without a key player in their second unit.

At the start of the year, it looked like Moritz Wagner was putting together a career year. The veteran big man was highly effective coming off the bench, averaging 12.9 points and 4.9 rebounds while shooting league average from beyond the arc. However, things ended up coming to a screeching halt in December. During a matchup against the Miami Heat, Wagner suffered a torn ACL that will keep him out for the remainder of the 2025 season.

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2) Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons

Another player whose situation is in limbo heading into the playoffs is Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey. He's been out of action since January with a broken leg, but there's been optimism from the start that he could return for the postseason.

Before getting hurt, Ivey was a key contributor on arguably the NBA's biggest success story this season. He was averaging just shy of 18 points per game and shooting 40% from three prior to his injury. As the Pistons prepare for a round-one matchup with the New York Knicks, it remains unclear if Ivey will be making a triumphant return.

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1) Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic

Rounding out this list is another member of the Magic. Jalen Suggs was ruled out for the rest of the season in March after undergoing surgery on his injured quad.

After being drafted fifth overall by Orlando in 2021, Suggs emerged as a key member of the team's core. He's grown into one of the top defensive guards in the NBA and was averaging a career-high 16.2 points before getting injured. As someone who impacts both ends of the floor, his absence is a tough blow for the Magic as they get ready to face the defending champs.